Drainville launches bid to replace Legault as CAQ leader

Bernard Drainville officially launched his campaign to succeed François Legault as leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec in Lévis on Feb. 1, 2026. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Bernard Drainville is officially in the running to replace François Legault as leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).

The former environment minister launched his leadership campaign Sunday morning.

He chose a restaurant in the Lévis riding, which he has represented since his 2022 election, to make the announcement.

“A leadership race is intense, it’s a great challenge,” he said to supporters as he opened his speech.

The leadership candidate said he chose to run because Quebec “needs a nationalist voice.”

Drainville also acknowledged the CAQ has lost the trust of Quebecers in recent years, noting that the party has strayed from its roots and its values.

“I didn’t enter the race to say ‘let’s continue.’ I will be the candidate for change. And yes, I will be the candidate of real people,” he said to applause.

Third link, economy and immigration

Outlining the main points of his campaign, Drainville raised the issue of immigration, saying “we need to bring order to this.”

If he is elected leader and becomes premier, he intends to grant acquired rights to some immigrant workers, but under certain conditions.

“I’ll tell you right away, not everyone will get it, it’s impossible. We would be talking about hundreds of thousands of people who would have an acquired right,” he said.

Workers who have been in Quebec for at least two years, speak intermediate-level French, and are integrated into priority sectors such as health, education, construction or specialized manufacturing could qualify for this acquired right.

“For each foreign worker who obtains an acquired right, we will reduce the number of temporary foreign workers in the future by the same amount,” the candidate added.

As the MNA for Lévis, he also addressed the third link, which he considers important for the region’s economic security.

The economy is another major theme of his campaign. The former minister said the CAQ under his leadership would remain “the party of the economy” and would support local businesses and entrepreneurs.

Drainville also wants to put families back at the heart of politics and proposes giving money back to middle-class households.

“Family is my core value, it is also my greatest pride,” he said as his relatives looked on.

He also used part of his speech to take a swipe at unions, accusing them of being disconnected from their members and having become “a blocking force.”

“I miss the union leaders with common sense, connected to their members,” he said.

So far, his only declared opponent is Christine Fréchette, who entered the race during a rally last Sunday in Trois-Rivières.

Both potential successors to François Legault have gathered several endorsements over the past week.

Drainville has support from Minister Samuel Poulin and MNAs Louis Lemieux, Luc Provençal, Shirley Dorismond, Yannick Gagnon, Kariane Bourassa, Suzanne Blais, Isabelle Lecours and Marilyne Picard.

He also received backing from Régine Laurent, who resigned from the board of Santé Québec after publicly supporting him, a violation of the agency’s code of ethics.

Fréchette, however, continues to gain momentum, distancing herself from her rival.

The former economy minister now has the support of nearly half the cabinet.

On Sunday morning, she also received the endorsement of International Relations Minister Christopher Skeete.

Drainville, for his part, said he is not worried about the support his opponent has received.

“I’m not going to curl up in a little ball in the corner because I have fewer MNAs,” he said.“I’m going to run a hard-driving campaign, we’ll put ideas forward, and in the end, I dare to believe that it will be ideas, and the willingness to put them into action — that will prevail,” he added.

“I will not give up,” he said.

— With files from Patrice Bergeron

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 1, 2026.