Premier of Quebec

Premier of Quebec
Post	Premier
Body	Quebec
Insigniacaption	Seal of Quebec
Incumbent	François Legault
Incumbentsince	October 18, 2018
Department	Executive Council of Quebec
Member of	Executive Council of Quebec, National Assembly of Quebec
Reports to	Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, National Assembly of Quebec
Residence	Édifice Price
Seat	Quebec City
Appointer	Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
Termlength	At His Majesty's pleasure
Formation	July 15, 1867
First	Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau
Website	[https://www.premier.gouv.qc.ca/ premier.gouv.qc.ca]

Contents

Role and responsibilities
History
Appointment and tenure
List of premiers
Official residence and symbols
See also

Premier of Quebec. The Premier of Quebec is the head of government for the Province of Quebec. Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, the premier is typically the leader of the party commanding the confidence of the National Assembly of Quebec. The office, established at Canadian Confederation in 1867, wields significant executive authority over provincial matters such as education, health care, and natural resources.

Role and responsibilities

The premier presides over the Executive Council of Quebec and selects its ministers, who oversee major departments like the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health. As head of government, the premier sets the legislative agenda, represents Quebec in federal-provincial relations such as the First Ministers' conference, and is the chief spokesperson for the province on issues ranging from Canadian federalism to Quebec sovereignty. The premier's office, located in the Édifice Price in Quebec City, coordinates policy with the Civil Code of Quebec and the Charter of the French Language.

History

The position originated with the first premier, Pierre-Joseph-Olivier Chauveau, following the British North America Act, 1867. Early premiers like Honoré Mercier and Lomer Gouin navigated Quebec's role within Canada. The Quiet Revolution, under Jean Lesage of the Quebec Liberal Party, dramatically expanded the provincial state. The modern political landscape was shaped by the Quebec sovereignty movement, figures like René Lévesque of the Parti Québécois, and the 1980 Quebec referendum. Subsequent premiers, including Robert Bourassa, Jacques Parizeau, and Jean Charest, dealt with constitutional crises like the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord.

Appointment and tenure

The premier is formally appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, who invites the leader of the party with the most seats in the National Assembly of Quebec following a general election to form a government. There is no fixed term; the premier serves at His Majesty's pleasure but must maintain the confidence of the House. A premier may be removed by losing a confidence vote, their party losing an election, or resigning, as Lucien Bouchard did in 2001. The Official Opposition is led by the leader of the second-largest party in the assembly.

List of premiers

Since 1867, Quebec has had over thirty premiers, representing parties such as the Conservative Party, the Quebec Liberal Party, the Union Nationale, and the Parti Québécois. Notable lengthy tenures include Maurice Duplessis and Robert Bourassa. The first Parti Québécois premier was René Lévesque, and the first female premier was Pauline Marois. The current premier, François Legault, leads the Coalition Avenir Québec, which first came to power in the 2018 Quebec general election.

Official residence and symbols

The premier's primary office is in the Édifice Price in Quebec City, while the executive council meets at the Honoré-Mercier Building. Unlike some provinces, Quebec does not maintain an official dedicated residence for its premier. The premier uses the Seal of Quebec on official documents. The position is also associated with provincial symbols like the Fleur-de-lis and is central to ceremonies at the Parliament Building.