A new political survey reveals Quebec's governing Coalition Avenir Québec is experiencing unprecedented unpopularity, with Premier François Legault's administration reaching its lowest approval ratings since taking power.
Record Dissatisfaction with Legault Government
The poll, conducted for Journal de Montréal and TVA News between November 7-10, 2023, found that 71 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the CAQ government. This represents the worst rating ever recorded for Legault's administration.
Even more concerning for the premier, 61 percent of Quebecers believe he should leave office, while a mere one percent of respondents reported being "very satisfied" with his government's performance.
Return to Traditional Political Dynamics
The survey indicates voter intentions are shifting back to the political dynamic that dominated Quebec for over four decades, where power struggles primarily occurred between the Parti Québécois and the Quebec Liberal Party.
While the Parti Québécois maintains its lead with 32 percent support, this represents a four-point drop from previous polling. Meanwhile, the Quebec Liberal Party has gained significant ground, increasing by four points to 27 percent support.
The narrowing gap leaves only five percentage points separating the two traditional rivals, signaling a potential return to Quebec's historic political alignment.
Leadership and Demographic Divides
The poll reveals significant differences in support across linguistic lines and leadership preferences. The Parti Québécois commands 40 percent support among francophone voters, while the Liberals trail at just 17 percent support within this demographic.
When it comes to leadership, 26 percent of respondents believe PQ Leader Paul St. Pierre Plamondon would make the best premier, placing him ten points ahead of Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez at 16 percent. Premier Legault, despite currently holding the position, ranks third at 13 percent support, just three points ahead of Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime.
Overall party support shows the CAQ at 17 percent, followed by the Conservative Party of Quebec at 14 percent, and Québec solidaire placing last with just 8 percent support.
The online survey sampled 1,031 Quebec adults and, while online polls cannot be assigned a formal margin of error, a probability-based sample of this size would typically have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
