CAQ leadership: Drainville reiterates his demand for more debates
Posted February 5, 2026 4:38 pm.
Trailing in the CAQ leadership race, Bernard Drainville, the candidate to succeed François Legault, reiterates his demand for more debates. This demand has already been rejected by his rival, Christine Fréchette.
“It really takes more than two debates. I am in discussions with many members and former members as well who tell me: ‘Bernard, Ms. Fréchette must agree to debate with you before March 13’,” he stated in a press scrum Thursday at the National Assembly.
March 13 is the deadline to become a member of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) and have the right to vote for the next leader.
“People need to know what our ideas are to encourage them to take out their cards. So, don’t wait until after the deadline to debate. There are television networks that are ready to organize these debates,” explained Drainville.
Currently, two debates are planned and organized by the CAQ: March 21 in Quebec City and March 28 in Laval.
When contacted by The Canadian Press, the party indicated that it did not intend to organize more debates, but that candidates were free to arrange with Radio-Canada and TVA to debate.
According to Drainville, this would also be good preparation for the election campaign.
The former Minister of the Environment is lagging behind in this race.
Fréchette has 26 supporters within the CAQ caucus, including 12 ministers. Drainville has the support of only nine MNAs, including one minister.
A poll published Wednesday in “Le Soleil” shows that Fréchette is twice as popular as her rival in the race.
Another poll, this time published in Quebecor media, indicated that a CAQ led by Fréchette would rise in voting intentions to the point of nipping at the heels of the Parti Québécois, which nevertheless remains in first place.
The next leader of the CAQ will be elected at a convention on April 12.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
