List of premiers of Quebec facts for kids

A Premier of Quebec is like the head of the government for the province of Quebec. They are the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the National Assembly, which is where Quebec's laws are made.

The Premier chooses a team of elected members to form a group called the Cabinet. Together, they make important decisions for Quebec. While the Premier leads the government, the king of Canada is the official head of state, represented in Quebec by the Lieutenant Governor.

People vote for members of the National Assembly in general elections. These elections usually happen every four or five years. However, the Premier can sometimes ask for an election sooner. An election might also happen if the government loses the support of the National Assembly.

This article lists the Premiers of Quebec since 1867, when Canada became a country.

Quebec's Leaders Since 1867

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Electoral mandates (Assembly)	Political party		Riding	Ref.
1		Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau (1820–1890)	15 July 1867	25 February 1873	Title created (caretaker government) 1867 election (1st Legislature) 1871 election (2nd Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Québec-Comté
			Left office to join the Senate of Canada.
2		Gédéon Ouimet (1823–1905)	27 February 1873	22 September 1874	Appointment (2nd Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Deux-Montagnes
			Resigned due to a controversy.
3 (1 of 2)		Charles Boucher de Boucherville (1822–1915)	22 September 1874	8 March 1878	Appointment (2nd Legislature) 1875 election (3rd Legislature)		Conservative	Councillor for Montarville
			Removed from office by the Lieutenant Governor due to disagreements over laws.
4		Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1829–1908)	8 March 1878	31 October 1879	Appointment (3rd Legislature) 1878 election (4th Legislature)		Liberal	MLA for Lotbinière
5		Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau (1840–1898)	31 October 1879	31 July 1882	Appointment (4th Legislature) 1881 election (5th Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Terrebonne
6		Joseph-Alfred Mousseau (1837–1886)	31 July 1882	23 January 1884	Appointment (5th Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Jacques-Cartier
7		John Jones Ross (1831–1901)	23 January 1884	25 January 1887	Appointment (5th Legislature) 1886 election (6th Legislature)		Conservative	Councillor for Shawinigan
8 (1 of 2)		Louis-Olivier Taillon (1840–1901)	25 January 1887	29 January 1887	Appointment (6th Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Montcalm
9		Honoré Mercier (1840–1894)	29 January 1887	21 December 1891	Appointment (6th Legislature) 1890 election (7th Legislature)		Parti National	MLA for Saint-Hyacinthe (1887-1890) MLA for Bonaventure (1890-1891)
			Removed from office due to concerns about his government.
— (2 of 2)		Charles Boucher de Boucherville (1822–1915)	21 December 1891	16 December 1892	Appointment (7th Legislature) 1892 election (8th Legislature)		Conservative	Councillor for Montarville
— (2 of 2)		Louis-Olivier Taillon (1840–1901)	16 December 1892	11 May 1896	Appointment (8th Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Chambly
10		Edmund James Flynn (1847–1927)	12 May 1896	24 May 1897	Appointment (8th Legislature)		Conservative	MLA for Gaspé
			He was the last Premier from the Conservative party.
11		Félix-Gabriel Marchand (1832–1900)	24 May 1897	25 September 1900	1897 election (9th Legislature)		Liberal	MLA for Saint-Jean
			Died while in office.
12		Simon-Napoléon Parent (1855–1920)	3 October 1900	23 March 1905	Appointment (9th Legislature) 1900 election (10th Legislature) 1904 election (11th Legislature)		Liberal	MLA for Saint-Sauveur
13		Lomer Gouin (1861–1929)	23 March 1905	23 March 1920	Appointment (11th Legislature) 1908 election (12th Legislature) 1912 election (13th Legislature) 1916 election (14th Legislature) 1919 election (15th Legislature)		Liberal	MLA for Montréal division no. 2 (1905-1908) MLA for Portneuf (1908-1920)
14		Louis-Alexandre Taschereau (1867–1952)	9 July 1920	11 June 1936	Appointment (15th Legislature) 1923 election (16th Legislature) 1927 election (17th Legislature) 1931 election (18th Legislature) 1935 election (19th Legislature)		Liberal	MLA for Montmorency
			Created a government agency to manage alcohol sales; led during the Great Depression.
15 (1 of 2)		Adélard Godbout (1892–1956)	11 June 1936	26 August 1936	Appointment (19th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1938)	MLA for L'Islet
16 (1 of 2)		Maurice Duplessis (1890–1959)	26 August 1936	8 November 1939	1936 election (20th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1936)	MLA for Trois-Rivières
			Passed a law that limited certain freedoms.
— (2 of 2)		Adélard Godbout (1892–1956)	8 November 1939	30 August 1944	1939 election (21st Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1938)	MLA for L'Islet
			Gave women the right to vote; created Quebec's first labour code; brought electricity companies under government control.
— (2 of 2)		Maurice Duplessis (1890–1959)	30 August 1944	7 September 1959	1944 election (22nd Legislature) 1948 election (23rd Legislature) 1952 election (24th Legislature) 1956 election (25th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1936)	MLA for Trois-Rivières
			His time in office is sometimes called the "Great Darkness" due to social and political issues. Died while in office.
17		Paul Sauvé (1907–1960)	11 September 1959	2 January 1960	Appointment (25th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1959)	MLA for Deux-Montagnes
			Known for his "100 Days of Change" where he started many new projects. Died while in office.
18		Antonio Barrette (1899–1968)	8 January 1960	5 July 1960	Appointment (25th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1960)	MLA for Joliette
19		Jean Lesage (1912–1980)	5 July 1960	16 June 1966	1960 election (26th Legislature) 1962 election (27th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1958)	MLA for Québec-Ouest
			Led the Quiet Revolution, a time of big changes in Quebec society; created the Ministry of Education; established Hydro-Québec.
20		Daniel Johnson Sr. (1915–1968)	16 June 1966	26 September 1968	1966 election (28th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1961)	MLA for Bagot
			Created CEGEPs (colleges in Quebec). Died while in office.
21		Jean-Jacques Bertrand (1916–1973)	2 October 1968	12 May 1970	Appointment (28th Legislature)		Union Nationale (Ldr. 1969)	MLA for Missisquoi (MNA after 1968)
			Changed the name of the Legislative Assembly to the National Assembly; passed a law to promote the French language. He was the last Premier from the Union Nationale party.
22 (1 of 2)		Robert Bourassa (1933–1996)	29 April 1970	25 November 1976	1970 election (29th Legislature) 1973 election (30th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1970)	MNA for Mercier
			Faced the October Crisis; passed a law making French the official language of Quebec; signed an agreement with Indigenous peoples for the James Bay area.
23		René Lévesque (1922–1987)	25 November 1976	3 October 1985	1976 election (31st Legislature) 1981 election (32nd Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 1968)	MNA for Taillon
			Passed the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101); held the 1980 Quebec referendum on sovereignty.
24		Pierre Marc Johnson (b. 1946)	3 October 1985	12 December 1985	Appointment (32nd Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 1985)	MNA for Anjou
— (2 of 2)		Robert Bourassa (1933–1996)	12 December 1985	11 January 1994	1985 election (33rd Legislature) 1989 election (34th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1983)	MNA for Saint-Laurent
			Involved in discussions about Canada's constitution, including the Meech Lake Accord and Charlottetown Accord.
25		Daniel Johnson Jr. (b. 1944)	11 January 1994	26 September 1994	Appointment (34th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1993)	MNA for Vaudreuil
26		Jacques Parizeau (1930–2015)	26 September 1994	29 January 1996	1994 election (35th Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 1988)	MNA for L'Assomption
			Held the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty; resigned after the referendum did not pass.
27		Lucien Bouchard (b. 1938)	29 January 1996	8 March 2001	Appointment (35th Legislature) 1998 election (36th Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 1996)	MNA for Jonquière
			Introduced universal childcare and prescription drug coverage.
28		Bernard Landry (1937–2018)	8 March 2001	29 April 2003	Appointment (36th Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 2001)	MNA for Verchères
			Signed the Paix des Braves agreement with the Cree Nation.
29		Jean Charest (b. 1958)	29 April 2003	19 September 2012	2003 election (37th Legislature) 2007 election (38th Legislature) 2008 election (39th Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 1998)	MNA for Sherbrooke
			Faced student protests in 2012; lost his own seat in the 2012 election.
30		Pauline Marois (b. 1949)	19 September 2012	23 April 2014	2012 election (40th Legislature)		Parti Québécois (Ldr. 2007)	MNA for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré
			First woman to be Premier of Quebec. Proposed a Charter of Values; lost her own seat in the 2014 election.
31		Philippe Couillard (b. 1957)	23 April 2014	18 October 2018	2014 election (41st Legislature)		Liberal (Ldr. 2013)	MNA for Roberval
			Passed a law banning face coverings for people giving or receiving public services.
32		François Legault (b. 1957)	18 October 2018	incumbent	2018 election (42nd Legislature) 2022 election (43rd Legislature)		Coalition Avenir Québec (Ldr. 2011)	MNA for L'Assomption
			Passed a law banning religious symbols for some public workers; led Quebec during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More About Quebec's Government

• Important Dates in Quebec's History
• List of Deputy Premiers of Quebec
• Leaders of the Official Opposition in Quebec
• Leaders of Other Parties in Quebec
• Premiers of Quebec by Time in Office