Minister Sonia LeBel will not be running for re-election in 2026
Posted January 19, 2026 10:46 am.
Last Updated January 19, 2026 3:26 pm.
Education Minister Sonia LeBel will not run again in 2026 and is therefore giving up on running for the leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).
LeBel, an influential member of the Legault government since 2018, explained Monday in a message shared on the X network that she had made the decision during the holidays to “turn the page” on political life.
She says she resumed her reflections when Premier François Legault announced his resignation last week.
“After careful consideration and long conversations with my family, friends and colleagues, I have come to the conclusion that the time has come for me to withdraw from political life at the end of this term,” she maintained.
She assures that she is not “slamming the door”, but that she will “turn the page with gratitude and enthusiasm for what comes next”.
LeBel followed in the footsteps of another influential government minister, Geneviève Guilbault, who announced on Sunday her retirement from political life in 2026.
LeBel first came to the attention of Quebecers when she was chief prosecutor for the Charbonneau Commission. She joined the CAQ in 2017 and was first elected in 2018 in the riding of Champlain.
She has held several important positions over time, including Minister of Justice and President of the Treasury Board.
The Quebec elections are scheduled for October 2026.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
