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
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
MONTREAL - Quebec premier-designate Christine Fr茅chette has a bit more than five months to make her party more appealing to Quebecers before the provincial elections.
Fr茅chette was elected over the weekend to replace Fran莽ois Legault as leader of the Coalition Avenir Qu茅bec, which polling aggregator Qc125 predicts is on track to win zero seats on Oct. 5.
Political scientist 脡ric B茅langer says Fr茅chette鈥檚 rise to the CAQ leadership could offer the party the renewal it needs to reverse its decline.
But the professor says she'll need to fend off attempts by the Parti Qu茅b茅cois and the Conservatives to court disaffected CAQ voters.
And B茅langer adds that her leadership campaign's focus on economic issues could make it harder to distinguish herself from Liberal Leader Charles Milliard.
St茅phane Paquet is president and CEO of Montr茅al International, an agency focused on attracting foreign investment to the Montreal area, and Fr茅chette's former employer.
Paquet describes her as diligent and methodical, comparing her work style to Pauline Marois, the PQ premier from 2012-14.
This report by 国产诱惑福利 was first published April 13, 2026.
