Consumed by controversy, Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez resigns
Posted December 17, 2025 10:24 am.
Last Updated December 17, 2025 5:47 pm.
With his party consumed by controversy for several weeks — from high-profile firings to allegations of votes-for-cash and donor reimbursement — Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) leader Pablo Rodriguez has resigned.
Rodriguez announced his decision to his caucus Wednesday afternoon and will hold a press conference Thursday morning. The news of his impending resignation was first reported by Le Devoir and confirmed by various outlets.
Rodriguez served as party leader for just over six months. It’s that final month, from mid-November to his resignation, that ultimately will have been the most memorable – for the wrong reasons.
What started with Marwah Rizqy dismissing her chief of staff without Rodriguez’s approval snowballed into Rizqy’s own dismissal from caucus and allegations into Rodriguez’s leadership campaign that triggered an investigation by Quebec’s anti-corruption police (UPAC).
Among voters, some say the party now needs to turn the page.
“I think they need to move on, just like when Trudeau had to resign,” said Montreal resident Tanya Fitzpatrick. “You know, you just have to move on.”
The final blow came on Tuesday when the Journal de Montréal alleged that some 20 donors had their $500 contributions refunded at a fundraising event – what appears to be a violation under Quebec’s Election Act. It states all contributions “must be made voluntarily, without compensation and for no consideration, and may not be reimbursed in any way.”
There was also the earlier allegation that some party members who voted for Rodriguez in the June leadership race — which he won with 52 per cent of the vote — could have received cash rewards.
It remains unclear which allegations UPAC is investigating and whether any of that is related to Rizqy relieving Geneviève Hinse of her duties. But in any case, the noise grew too loud and prominent Quebec Liberals have been openly calling for Rodriguez to step aside.
“I’m surprised it took this long,” said political analyst Karim Boulos. “At this point, the damage to the PLQ is done.”
Though the details were sparse, Rodriguez says he fired Rizqy because she did not explain her reasons for dismissing Hinse and had lacked loyalty. Rizqy has not publicly explained her decision, saying it is a human resources matter. She reportedly met with UPAC prior to an official investigation being launched.
Rodriguez later removed a second Liberal member of the legislature from his caucus because of an investigation by Quebec’s ethics commissioner. The office of the ethics commissioner had said it would examine whether Sona Lakhoyan Olivier used resources from her constituency office for partisan purposes during the leadership race.
Montreal radio station 98.5 FM named Lakhoyan Olivier as one of the two people behind text messages related to the vote-for-cash allegations, but she has denied that claim and has sent a legal letter to station owner Cogeco.
Before his resignation, Rodriguez had said he welcomed the investigations, and had insisted he had nothing to hide. He had also asked a retired judge to investigate the claims.
Boulos said the scandal leaves little room for recovery ahead of the next election.
“I think the 2026 election is completely off the books for the PLQ,” he said.
Who will replace Pablo Rodriguez?
In the running to take Rodriguez’s place at the helm of the Liberals could be a couple of leadership candidates who were defeated by Rodriguez in June: Charles Milliard and Karl Blackburn.
“I just spoke with Pablo Rodriguez, our outgoing leader. It was a warm and humane conversation,” Milliard wrote on X on Wednesday.
He said Rodriguez made a “courageous decision in the best interests of the party,” adding that the Quebec Liberal Party must continue to offer Quebecers “strong economic and social leadership,” as it has for more than 150 years.
Milliard said decisions about his own political future would come only after the party’s leadership outlines the next steps.
And despite some chatter about Rizqy herself taking a crack at the party leadership, the Saint-Laurent MNA broke her silence Wednesday — moments after Rodriguez stepped down — to put those suggestions to rest.
“In the preceding months, I had the opportunity to announce that I did not intend to run for re-election as a Member of the National Assembly, so that I could fully dedicate myself to raising my young children,” Rizqy wrote on Facebook.
“Today, some media outlets are mentioning my name as a potential candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. I wish to firmly reiterate that I had no such intention, that I do not have it now, and that I will not have it in the coming weeks and/or months.”
Rizqy says she made that statement despite a $500,000 gag proceeding against her, referring to the lawsuit filed by Hinse against her claiming Hinse was dismissed without cause.
Some voters say Rodriguez is unfairly paying the price for internal divisions.
“I don’t understand why he’s leaving,” said Khaled Mamouly. “There was a scandal caused by Marwah Rizqy, but he’s the one paying the price.”
Another Montrealer, Sue, was disappointed hearing the news. “I was really hoping somebody can step in and take the reins because the liberal party, we’re lacking. It’s so sad. That’s the only thing that I felt could save Quebec.”
Others say the resignation was necessary.
“It’s a good thing he’s quitting because evidently he’s unable to lead,” said one Montreal voter.
“I think it’s the right decision. I’m not a supporter of the Liberals and nor am I a fan of Mr. Rodriguez. So in the interest of the population, I believe he should resign,” said Sabrina Mastroprimiano.
Liberals fall again in the polls
Rodriguez, who had hoped to restore the Liberals to power in next year’s election, cast his party as the only viable alternative to the sovereigntist Parti Québécois and the only sure way for Quebec to avoid a third referendum on independence in the next four years.
But the former federal cabinet minister proved unable to overcome the crisis that has consumed his party for the last month.
The Quebec Liberals have been in the political wilderness for years, with dismal polling among francophone voters. Rodriguez, who left a long career in federal politics in September 2024 to seek the provincial leadership, pitched himself as an experienced politician and a unifier who could restore the party’s popularity.
Quebec’s next election must be held by October 2026, though it could be called earlier. The PQ has been leading in the polls for two years, as support for the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, led by Premier François Legault, has collapsed. PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a referendum by 2030 if elected.
According to a recent Léger-Québecor poll, this past month erased all of Rodriguez’s gains in support among Quebecers. The provincial Liberals dropped to 20 per cent support, on practically even footing with the governing CAQ (19 per cent) and well behind the Parti Québécois (35 per cent), the favourites to form the next government.
“For the CAQ, I think the damage to Mr. Legault was done,” said Boulos. “I think he will pick up one point, two points, might hold on to a couple of seats from people who are fearful of the PQ destroying the Quebec economy, as what Mr. Legault is trying to sell.
“The Liberals may still hold on to parts of the western part of Montreal, some Anglophone ridings or bilingual or partially Anglophone ridings. But I don’t think that the overall outcome will be very different. I think the overall outcome is looking like it’s going to be a Parti Québécois government. Of course, we can never predict the future, but unless something massive happens and some huge controversy erupts within the PQ, they should likely make the the next government.”
The PQ did in fact slip in the Léger-Québecor poll following leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s accusations that some actors in the cultural community lack loyalty to Quebec because they welcomed the appointment of Marc Miller, the new federal minister of Canadian identity and culture, with open arms.
St-Pierre Plamondon said he was “ashamed” by that response, accusing Miller of being one of the “architects of our linguistic decline.”
Boulos tells CityNews that “arrogant stance” may have hurt his polling numbers.
“I think some Quebecers saw that if this is a sign of things to come under a PQ government, it might not be the same cheerful optimistic message that Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon was touting a few months ago,” Boulos said. “So I think the sovereignty issue may actually hurt the PQ. It’s maybe too much too soon. And his numbers were so strong, he figured, ‘I can just say whatever at this point,’ which I think he’s realizing now his numbers are a little bit down, maybe it’s time to sort of temper the message.”
–With files from The Canadian Press and Lola Kalder
