Christine Fréchette to be sworn in as Quebec premier after winning CAQ leadership

CAQ premier-elect Christine Frechette celebrates while giving remarks after winning the CAQ leadership race, in Drummondville, Que., on Sunday, April 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Quebec will soon have a new premier after former cabinet minister Christine Fréchette was elected leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec on Sunday.

She is to be sworn in on Wednesday, and will name a new cabinet next week. The legislature returns in May.

On Monday, she told reporters that she intends to make at least one announcement in the coming days aimed at easing the burden of a rising cost of living.

“I want to ... improve the situation for families through, for example, a measure to reduce the cost of groceries,” she said at the Quebec legislature. “I committed to it and we’ll follow up very soon.”

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Fréchette’s leadership campaign promises included reducing taxes on certain consumer products. She has also said she intended to reimburse farmers for the carbon tax and refund part of the so-called “welcome tax” to first-time homebuyers.

On Monday, she said she plans to extend French-language laws to cover vocational training, and allow small and medium-size businesses to bid on government contracts.

She promised she would make her first announcements “in the coming days.”

Fréchette defeated Bernard Drainville in the race to replace François Legault, who announced in January he was stepping down as premier after polls showed low party popularity.

On social media, Legault said Fréchette is well-versed in economic issues and everything it takes to assume the role of premier with “rigour and determination.”

The former political staffer focused her leadership campaign on economic issues, including reopening the debate around shale gas and hydraulic fracturing.

Fréchette will be the second woman to hold the post after Pauline Marois, who served as premier with the Parti Québécois from 2012 to 2014.

The new CAQ leader was expected to meet with Drainville on Monday, but refused to tell reporters what role he could play in her cabinet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 13, 2026.

Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press