François Legault is resigning as Quebec’s premier amid a slump in popularity and a nearing provincial election.
Legault made the announcement at the National Assembly of Quebec on Wednesday as October’s provincial election approaches.
It comes after a difficult year that saw his Coalition Avenir Québec running third in the polls, behind the Parti Québécois and the Liberals, as well as losing six legislature members, including five who are now sitting as Independents.
Legault, who gained significant prominence as he guided Quebecers through the COVID-19 pandemic and steered the party he founded to two decisive majority wins, has since suffered a dramatic fall from grace.
His government has been tarnished by scandal, including an ongoing fiasco involving massive cost overruns at the province’s auto insurance board. He has also failed to deliver on some of the commitments that helped propel him to power in 2018, including cutting the size of bureaucracy that has only grown under his government.
At the start of the fall legislative session in September, he presented what some political observers called a shift to the right, with promises to make cuts to the public service, crack down on crime and speed up approvals for major projects.
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He even walked into the party convention that month accompanied by the theme song from Rocky III, throwing a few mock punches and paraphrased an aging Sylvester Stallone to a roomful of supporters in Gatineau, Que.
“It’s not the force of the blows that counts, it’s the ability to take them and keep moving forward,” he said.
“I’m ready to keep taking hits.”
Who will replace him wasn’t immediately clear; according to the polling firm SOM, leading candidates include Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette and Education Minister Sonia LeBel, followed by Christian Dubé and Geneviève Guilbault.
Economy Minister Christine Fréchette and Environment Minister Bernard Drainville are also seen as potential successors.
Legault said he will remain in his post until his successor is chosen.
Election day in Quebec is Oct. 5.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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