Premier François Legault became Canada’s most popular provincial leader during the pandemic thanks to his reassuring, avuncular persona. But missteps sank his hopes for a third term.

Quebec Premier François Legault resigned Wednesday as a separatist party surges in the polls and threatens to tear Canada’s second-largest province from the federation. Legault announced his exit at the Quebec City legislature ahead of the Oct.

Quebec's premier announced plans to resign on Wednesday, months ahead of an election that could see a separatist party return to power in the French-speaking province. A resurgent Parti Quebecois (PQ) has consistently led the polls ahead of a provincial election set for October.

Quebec’s electoral map has been redrawn ahead of the upcoming provincial election, with both the Gaspésie region and the island of Montreal losing one riding each.