List of leaders of the opposition of Quebec

This is a list of the leaders of the opposition party of Quebec, Canada since Confederation (1867).

Note that the leader of the opposition is not always the leader of the political party with the second-largest number of seats, in cases where the leader of that party does not have a seat.

There was no leader of the official opposition until March 1869, when the government's second budget was introduced.

Name Electoral district(Region) Took office Left office PartyHenri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière Lotbinière(Chaudière-Appalaches) 1869 1878 LiberalJoseph-Adolphe Chapleau Terrebonne(Lanaudière) 1878 1879 ConservativeHenri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière Lotbinière(Chaudière-Appalaches) 1879 1883 LiberalHonoré Mercier Saint-Hyacinthe(Montérégie) 1883 1887 LiberalIn the aftermath of the execution of Louis Riel, Honoré Mercier founded the Parti National, in order to bring Conservative dissidents to the Liberal Party. From 1885 to 1891, the Liberal Party is also called Parti National.Louis-Olivier Taillon Montcalm(Lanaudière) 1887 1890 ConservativeJean Blanchet Beauce(Chaudière-Appalaches) 1890 1891 ConservativeFélix-Gabriel Marchand Saint-Jean(Montérégie) 1892 1897 LiberalEdmund James Flynn Gaspé(Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine) until 1900 Nicolet(Centre-du-Québec) after 1900 1897 1904 ConservativePierre-Évariste LeblancPierre-Évariste Leblanc lost his seat to the legislature in 1908. Joseph-Mathias Tellier succeeded him as Conservative Leader. Laval(Laval) 1905 1908 ConservativeJoseph-Mathias Tellier Joliette(Lanaudière) 1908 1915 ConservativePhilémon CousineauPhilémon Cousineau lost his seat to the legislature in 1916. Arthur Sauvé succeeded him as Conservative Leader. Jacques-Cartier(Montreal) 1915 1916 ConservativeArthur Sauvé Deux-Montagnes(Laurentides) 1916 1929 ConservativeCamillien Houde Montréal-Sainte-Marie(Montreal) 1929 1931 ConservativeCharles Ernest GaultConservative Leader Camillien Houde lost his seat to the legislature. Charles Ernest Gault served as acting Leader. Montréal-Saint-Georges(Montreal) 1931 1932 ConservativeMaurice Duplessis Trois-Rivières(Mauricie) 1932 1936 ConservativeIn 1935, the Conservatives formed a coalition with the Action libérale nationale (ALN). The ALN ran 60 candidates and won 26 seats. The Conservatives ran 30 candidates and won 16 seats. However, Maurice Duplessis served as leader of the coalition and therefore remained Leader of the Opposition.Télesphore-Damien BouchardLiberal Leader Adélard Godbout lost his seat to the legislature and could not serve as Leader of the Opposition. Saint-Hyacinthe(Montérégie) 1936 1939 LiberalMaurice Duplessis Trois-Rivières(Mauricie) 1939 1944 Union NationaleAdélard Godbout L'Islet(Chaudière-Appalaches) 1944 1948 LiberalGeorge Carlyle MarlerLiberal Leader Adélard Godbout lost his seat to the legislature. His successor, Georges-Émile Lapalme, was defeated in Joliette in 1952. George Marler served as Acting Leader of the Opposition until 1953, when Lapalme won a by-election. Westmount-Saint-Georges(Montreal) 1948 1953 LiberalGeorges-Émile LapalmeJean Lesage became Liberal Leader in 1958, but Georges-Émile Lapalme remained Leader of the opposition until Lesage won a seat to the legislature in 1960. Montréal-Outremont(Montreal) 1953 1960 LiberalYves PrévostFollowing the resignation of Union Nationale Leader Antonio Barrette, Yves Prévost served as Acting Leader. Montmorency(Québec) 1960 1961 Union NationaleAntonio TalbotFollowing the resignation of Yves Prévost, Antonio Talbot served as Acting Leader. Chicoutimi(Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) 1961 1961 Union NationaleDaniel Johnson, Sr. Bagot(Montérégie) 1961 1966 Union NationaleJean Lesage Louis-Hébert(Québec) 1966 1970 LiberalRobert Bourassa Mercier(Montreal) 1970 1970 LiberalJean-Jacques Bertrand Missisquoi(Eastern Townships) 1970 1971 Union NationaleGabriel Loubier Bellechasse(Chaudière-Appalaches) 1971 1973 Union NationaleFrom October 25, 1971 to January 14, 1973 the Union Nationale was called Unité Québec.Jacques-Yvan MorinParti Québécois Leader René Lévesque was defeated in Dorion and could not serve as Leader of the Opposition. Sauvé(Montreal) 1973 1976 Parti QuébécoisGérard D. LevesqueLiberal Leader Robert Bourassa lost his seat to the legislature. Gérard D. Levesque served as Acting Leader until Claude Ryan, who became leader in 1978, won a by-election. Bonaventure(Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine) 1976 1979 LiberalClaude Ryan Argenteuil(Laurentides) 1979 1982 LiberalGérard D. LevesqueFollowing the resignation of Claude Ryan, Gérard D. Levesque served as Acting Leader. Bonaventure(Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine) 1982 1985 LiberalRobert Bourassa Bertrand(Montérégie) 1985 1985 LiberalPierre-Marc Johnson Anjou(Montreal) 1985 1987 Parti QuébécoisGuy ChevretteFollowing the resignation of Pierre Marc Johnson, Guy Chevrette served as Acting Leader and remained Leader of the opposition until new leader Jacques Parizeau won a seat to the legislature in 1989. Joliette(Lanaudière) 1987 1989 Parti QuébécoisJacques Parizeau L'Assomption(Lanaudière) 1989 1994 Parti QuébécoisDaniel Johnson, Jr. Vaudreuil(Montérégie) 1994 1998 LiberalMonique Gagnon-TremblayMonique Gagnon-Tremblay served as Acting Leader of the Opposition until Jean Charest won a seat to the legislature in 1998. Saint-François(Eastern Townships) 1998 1998 LiberalJean Charest Sherbrooke(Eastern Townships) 1998 2003 LiberalBernard Landry Verchères(Montérégie) 2003 2005 Parti QuébécoisLouise HarelFollowing the resignation of Bernard Landry, Louise Harel served as Acting Leader and remained Leader of the opposition until new leader André Boisclair won a by-election. Hochelaga-Maisonneuve(Montreal) 2005 2006 Parti QuébécoisAndré Boisclair Pointe-aux-Trembles(Montreal) 2006 2007 Parti QuébécoisMario Dumont Rivière-du-Loup(Bas-Saint-Laurent) 2007 2008 Action démocratique du QuébecPauline Marois Charlevoix(Capitale-Nationale) 2008 2012 Parti QuébécoisJean-Marc Fournier Saint-Laurent(Montreal) 2012 2013 LiberalPhilippe Couillard Outremont(Montreal) 2013 2014 LiberalStéphane BédardAssumed the position of Leader of the Opposition as a result of party leader Premier Pauline Marois losing her seat in the general election and resigning as party leader. Bédard was interim leader until a new leader was elected in a leadership election in 2015. Chicoutimi(Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) 2014 2015 Parti QuébécoisPierre Karl Péladeau Saint-Jérôme(Laurentides) 2015 2016 Parti QuébécoisSylvain Gaudreault Jonquière(Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean) 2016 2016 Parti QuébécoisJean-François Lisée Rosemont(Montréal) 2016 2018 Parti QuébécoisPierre ArcandMont-Royal–Outremont(Montréal) 2018 2020 LiberalDominique AngladeSaint-Henri–Sainte-Anne(Montréal) 2020 2022 LiberalMarc TanguayLaFontaine(Montréal) 2022 2025 LiberalMarwah RizqySaint-Laurent(Montréal) 2025 2025 LiberalAndré FortinPontiac(Outaouais) 2025 2025 LiberalMarc TanguayLaFontaine(Montréal) 2025 2026 LiberalAndré FortinPontiac(Outaouais) 2026 Liberal

Footnotes

See also List of Quebec general elections Timeline of Quebec history National Assembly of Quebec List of Quebec premiers List of third party leaders (Quebec) History of Quebec

External links Les chefs de l'opposition officielle depuis 1869