Quebec votes 2026: CAQ record under fire in first debate, PQ leads post-debate poll

Quebec’s five major party leaders went head-to-head Tuesday night in the first of three televised French-language debates of the election campaign.

With a second debate scheduled for Wednesday night, political analysts are assessing what stood out from the first face-off.

CAQ record comes under fire

If any leader was on the defensive Tuesday night, it was Coalition Avenir Québec leader Christine Fréchette.

“I am not François Legault,” she said.

But throughout the debate, the other party leaders repeatedly attacked the CAQ’s record, attempting to portray Fréchette as a continuation of Legault’s government.

Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (PSPP) called for “an end to CAQ waste,” while Quebec Liberal Party leader Charles Milliard argued the CAQ does not represent “the change Quebecers need.”

Conservative Party of Quebec leader Éric Duhaime also attacked the government’s spending, saying voters are asking what the government is doing with their money.

Québec solidaire co-leader Ruba Ghazal criticized the CAQ and previous governments over what she described as the privatization of social services.

Political analyst Daniel Tran said the attacks on the CAQ were a shared strategy among the other parties.

But he also said the attacks created an opening for Fréchette to promote her own agenda.

“A good defense is a strong offense,” Tran said.

PSPP leads post-debate approval poll

A TVA-Le Journal flash poll conducted following the debate showed PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon with the highest level of approval among respondents for his performance.

The survey included 1,171 respondents, with 746 saying they watched all or part of the debate.

St-Pierre Plamondon presented himself as offering a change in direction for Quebec.

“From day one, a PQ government will change course,” he said.

Tran described St-Pierre Plamondon’s performance as calm and focused on rallying voters. He also noted that the PQ leader avoided using the word “referendum” when the debate turned to the future of Quebec.

“I won’t not accept that our people live through the decline Canada is imposing on us,” he said.

Tran said the PQ leader was focusing on his party’s platform and its proposals to Quebecers, given that much of the PQ’s positioning on a referendum had been elaborated outside the debate.

Parties position themselves for minority government

Polls currently project the Parti Québécois winning a minority government, which would mean other parties could play an important role in getting legislation passed.

Tran said that dynamic was already visible during Tuesday night’s debate, with the leaders positioning themselves not only as aspiring premiers, but also as potential allies.

“All the parties have tried to position themselves with yesterday’s debate as not only the potential leader, but (a) potential collaborator,” he said.

But with two more debates to come and voting day just weeks away, Tran said there is still plenty that could change on the campaign trail.

“There’s two other debates and a lot of things can change,” he said.