2025 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election

The 2025 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election was held from June 9 to 14, 2025, to elect a new leader to replace former Quebec Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade, who announced her resignation on November 7, 2022, amid mounting criticism within the party for her performance in the 2022 Quebec general election and for her subsequent decision to remove Liberal MNA Marie-Claude Nichols from caucus. Anglade had led the party to losses in the election held a month earlier, finishing with only 21 seats and 14% of the popular vote, their lowest seat count since 1956 and their lowest share of the popular vote in their history; while the party remained the official opposition, they fell behind the governing Coalition Avenir Québec and opposition Québec solidaire and Parti Québécois to place fourth in the popular vote.

Former federal cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez was elected on the second ballot against former Quebec chamber of commerce president Charles Milliard by less than 5 percentage points.

Rodriguez became the first Hispanic to lead a provincial party in Quebec. Rodriguez also was the first former federal cabinet minister to be elected to lead the Quebec Liberal Party since Jean Charest in 1998 and the first one from the federal Liberal Party since Jean Lesage in 1960

Rules and procedures The race officially started on January 13, 2025. The candidate registration period runs from January 13 to April 11, 2025. To be registered in the race, candidates need to collect signatures from 750 party members from at least 70 electoral districts and 12 administrative regions with 350 of them needing to be new members who joined after May 27, 2024. Candidates also need to deposit an $40,000 entry fee to be registered. The spending limit will be $400,000. Candidates must also be approved by the party's Electoral Committee; if they are rejected they may appeal to the Arbitration Committee within 5 days. Votes are weighed by riding and age, meaning there's pressure for candidates to appeal to Quebec's different regions and young people in the points-based electoral system.

The voting period will be between June 9 and 14, 2025, with anyone who was a member of the party on May 20 being able to vote. Points will be allocated to candidates with the one receiving over 50% of the total amount of points becoming leader of the party. If no candidate reaches this threshold, a second round will be organized between the two candidates who received the most points from the first round. Each electoral district will have 2,000 points to be distributed according to the vote of members 26 years old and older in that district, for a total of 250,000 points. 125,000 points will be allocated according to the vote of members 25 years old and younger across the province. The new leader will be announced on June 14, 2025, during a convention in Quebec City.

The requirements to enter the race, the spending limit and timeframes for the start of the race and the election, set in late 2024 and in the spring of 2025, respectively, were announced in October 2023. The precise dates of the start of the race and the voting period and other parts of the procedure were announced in April 2024.

Debates In April 2024, the party announced that, if more than one candidate is running for election, five debates will be organized between April 12 and June 8, 2025.

Candidates Official Candidate Experience Announcement date Campaign Ref. Marc BélangerTax lawyerCandidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in Matapédia—Matane in 2000 and 2004August 28, 2024EndorsementsWebsiteKarl BlackburnPresident of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (2020–2025)Director General of the Quebec Liberal Party (2009–2013)MNA for Roberval (2003–2007)March 31, 2025EndorsementsWebsite Charles MilliardPresident of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce(2020–2024)August 9, 2024EndorsementsWebsite Pablo RodriguezFederal Minister of Transport(2023–2024)Quebec lieutenant for the Liberal Party of Canada(2019–2024)Minister of Canadian Heritage(2018–2019; 2021–2023)MP for Honoré-Mercier(2004–2011; 2015–2025)September 19, 2024EndorsementsWebsite Mario RoyFarmerEconomistJanuary 16, 2025

Disqualified Candidate Experience Dates Campaign Ref. Denis CoderreMayor of Montreal(2013–2017)Federal President of the Privy Council(2003–2004)Federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration(2002–2003)MP for Bourassa(1997–2013)Declared: June 21, 2024Disqualified: February 7, 2025Endorsements

Withdrawn Candidate Experience Announcement date Withdrawal date Campaign Ref. Frédéric BeaucheminMNA for Marguerite-Bourgeoys(2022–present)September 13, 2024January 13, 2025EndorsementsWebsite

Declined Gaétan Barrette, Minister of Health and Social Services (2014–2018), MNA for La Pinière (2014–2022). Sophie Brochu, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec (2020–2023). Madwa-Nika Cadet, co-president of the Committee on the Revival of the QLP (2023), MNA for Bourassa-Sauvé (2022–present). François-Philippe Champagne, federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry (2021–2025), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2019–2021), Minister of Infrastructure and Communities (2018–2019), Minister of International Trade (2017–2018), MP for Saint-Maurice—Champlain (2015–present). Guy Cormier, President and CEO of Desjardins Group (2016–present). , Candidate in the 2020 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election, Mayor of Drummondville (2013–2020), President of the Union des Municipalités du Québec (2017–2019). Monsef Derraji, MNA for Nelligan (2018–present). Antoine Dionne Charest, Member of the Committee on the Revival of the QLP (2023), Son of former premier Jean Charest. Mario Dumont, Leader of the Action Démocratique du Québec (1994–2009), Leader of the Official Opposition (2007–2008), MNA for Rivière-du-Loup (1994–2009). André Fortin, Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification (2017–2018), MNA for Pontiac (2014–present). Jean-Marc Fournier, Interim Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (2012–2013), Leader of the Official Opposition (2012–2013), Minister of Justice (2010–2012), Leader of the government in parliament (2007–2008; 2010–2012; 2014–2018), Minister of Revenue (2007–2008), Minister of Education, Leisure and Sports (2005–2007), Minister of Municipal Affairs, Sports and Leisure (2003–2005), MNA for Châteauguay (1994–2008), MNA for Saint-Laurent (2010–2018). Sam Hamad, President of the Treasury Board (2016), Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity (2015–2016), Minister of Labour (2014–2015), Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade (2011–2012), Minister of Transport (2010–2011), Minister of Labour (2009–2010), Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity (2007–2010), Minister of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Parks (2003–2005), MNA for Louis-Hébert (2003–2017). Balarama Holness, Candidate in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in 2022, Leader of Bloc Montreal (2022–present), Candidate for Mayor of Montreal in 2021, Leader of Mouvement Montréal (2021–present), Former canadian football player. Joël Lightbound, MP for Louis-Hébert (2015–present). Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec City (2021–present). Pierre Moreau, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources (2017–2018), President of the Treasury Board (2017), Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports (2016), Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy (2014–2016), Candidate in the 2013 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election, Minister of Transport (2011–2012), Minister responsible for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs and the Canadian Francophonie (2011), MNA for Marguerite-D'Youville (2003–2007) and Châteauguay (2008–2018). André Pratte, co-president of the Committee on the Revival of the QLP (2023), Federal Senator for De Salaberry (2016–2019). Alain Rayes, Quebec lieutenant for the Conservative Party of Canada (2017–2020; 2021–2022), MP for Richmond—Arthabaska (2015–2025), Mayor of Victoriaville (2009–2015). Marwah Rizqy, MNA for Saint-Laurent (2018–present). Marc Tanguay, Interim Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (2022–2025), Leader of the Official Opposition (2022–2025), MNA for LaFontaine (2012–present). , Mayor of Victoriaville (2021–present), Mayor of Daveluyville (2013–2016), Former ice hockey goaltender.

Endorsements Marc Bélanger

Karl Blackburn

Charles Milliard

Pablo Rodriguez

Declined to endorse

Opinion polling Leadership election Liberal supporters Polling firmLast dateSample sizeSourceFrédéricBeaucheminMarc BélangerDenisCoderreAntoine Dionne CharestJoëlLightboundCharles MilliardMarwahRizqyPabloRodriguezMarcTanguayOtherLéger Marketing February 2, 2025126PDF–-9%11%––6%–27%–Undecided/refused to answer 47%Léger Marketing November 11, 2024107PDF–1%4%13%––4%–28%–Undecided/refused to answer 49%Léger Marketing October 6, 2024125PDF–1%6%14%––5%–30%–Undecided/refused to answer 45%Léger Marketing August 25, 2024108PDF–1%–16%4%–7%2%13%11%François-Philippe Champagne 6%Antoine Tardif 3%Undecided/refused to answer 37%Léger Marketing June 3, 2024104PDF–2%–12%4%–1%6%–30%Karl Blackburn 5%Antoine Tardif 5%Undecided/refused to answer 36%Léger Marketing February 5, 2024107PDF–3%–27%11%––10%–12%Balarama Holness 3%Undecided/refused to answer 33%Léger Marketing August 21, 202393PDF–1%–––2%–7%–28%Alain Rayes 4%Monsef Derraji 1%Alexandre Cusson 0%Undecided/refused to answer 51%Léger Marketing June 12, 2023112PDF–2%–––1%–6%–27%André Fortin 5%Sophie Brochu 2%André Pratte 1%Monsef Derraji 0%Undecided/refused to answer 55%Léger Marketing November 6, 2022103PDF–––17%–0%–3%–1%Gaétan Barrette 4%Sophie Brochu 4%Pierre Moreau 4%Pierre Arcand 2%François-Philippe Champagne 1%Alexandre Cusson 1%André Fortin 0%Undecided/refused to answer 62%

All Quebecers Polling firmLast dateSample sizeSourceFrédéricBeaucheminMarc BélangerDenisCoderreAntoine Dionne CharestJoëlLightboundCharles MilliardMarwahRizqyPabloRodriguezMarcTanguayOtherLéger Marketing February 2, 20251,017PDF±3.07%-6%10%––6%–19%–Undecided/refused to answer 60%Léger Marketing November 11, 20241,010PDF±3.08%2%3%11%––3%–25%–Undecided/refused to answer 56%Léger Marketing October 6, 20241,036PDF±3.04%3%3%11%––4%–24%–Undecided/refused to answer 55%Léger Marketing August 25, 20241,041PDF±3.04%1%–10%2%–3%7%8%4%François-Philippe Champagne 7%Antoine Tardif 2%Undecided/refused to answer 57%Léger Marketing June 3, 20241,015PDF±3.08%2%–13%2%–2%10%–7%Antoine Tardif 3%Karl Blackburn 1%Undecided/refused to answer 62%Léger Marketing February 5, 20241,032PDF±3.05% 3%–18%4%––15%–4%Balarama Holness 2%Undecided/refused to answer 55%Léger Marketing August 21, 20231,036PDF±3.04% 2%–––3%–11%–6%Alain Rayes 4%Alexandre Cusson 1%Monsef Derraji 1%Undecided/refused to answer 70%Léger Marketing June 12, 20231,042PDF±3.03% 1%–––3%–11%–6%Sophie Brochu 7%André Fortin 3%Monsef Derraji 1%André Pratte 1%Undecided/refused to answer 68%Léger Marketing November 6, 20221,028PDF±3.1% ––9%–2%–5%–1%Pierre Moreau 5%Pierre Arcand 4%Sophie Brochu 4%Gaétan Barrette 2%François-Philippe Champagne 2%André Fortin 2%Alexandre Cusson 0%Undecided/refused to answer 65%

General election

Karl Blackburn as leader Polling organisationLast date of pollingSourceSample size CAQ QS PQ PLQ PCQ OtherLeadLegerMay 13, 2025PDF706201032251137LegerNovember 11, 2024PDF1,010±3.08%1712362012316LegerOctober 6, 2024PDF1,036±3.04%271227211020LegerAugust 25, 2024PDF1,041±3.04%231430161247LegerFebruary 5, 2024PDF1,032±3.05%23143121938

Charles Milliard as leader Polling organisationLast date of pollingSourceSample size CAQ QS PQ PLQ PCQ OtherLeadLegerMay 13, 2025PDF6911911322212410LegerNovember 11, 2024PDF1,010±3.08%2013361613216LegerAugust 25, 2024PDF1,041±3.04%231531141348

Pablo Rodriguez as leader Polling organisationLast date of pollingSourceSample size CAQ QS PQ PLQ PCQ OtherLeadLegerMay 13, 2025PDF73316830311131LegerNovember 11, 2024PDF1,010±3.08%151133261217LegerOctober 6, 2024PDF1,036±3.04%25112628922LegerAugust 25, 2024PDF1,041±3.04%231330191137

Results