In a move defying both financial hurdles and internal party pressure, Mario Roy, the economist and farmer who finished last in the 2025 Quebec Liberal leadership contest, has announced his intention to run again. Roy made his appeal public at a news conference in his hometown of Saint-Jules in the Beauce region on Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
A Financial Hurdle and a Tight Deadline
The candidate faces a significant financial challenge. Roy must raise funds to cover an $18,000 debt from his previous campaign and gather an additional $15,000 entry fee for the new race. He has set a firm deadline of February 13 to accomplish this. Alongside the monetary requirements, his candidacy must be validated by the party's leadership organization committee and he needs to secure 750 signatures from Liberals across 70 ridings in 12 regions of Quebec.
"I am thus launching a mass appeal to the population to go on my website to sign my candidacy papers and go on the site of Élections Québec to contribute as rapidly as possible," Roy told reporters, framing his effort as a grassroots campaign.
Internal Party Pressure to Clear the Path
Roy's decision comes amid clear signals from within the Quebec Liberal Party that some members would prefer he not run. The reason is strategic: if Roy sits out the race, the presumed front-runner, Charles Milliard, could be crowned leader uncontested in February. This would grant the new leader crucial additional time to prepare for the provincial general election scheduled for October 2026.
Roy acknowledged this pressure on Tuesday, but has so far resisted calls to step aside. His persistence sets the stage for a potential two-person race. Milliard, who narrowly lost the 2025 leadership to Pablo Rodriguez, officially filed his candidacy papers on Monday, January 12. He has already garnered significant caucus support, including a recent endorsement from Marguerite-Bourgeoys MNA Frédéric Beauchemin.
Context of a Volatile Leadership Race
The current leadership contest was triggered by the resignation of Pablo Rodriguez in December 2025 following allegations of irregularities in his campaign fundraising. Rodriguez had won the 2025 race with 52.3% of the points on the second ballot, just ahead of Milliard's 47.7%. Other candidates from that race, Karl Blackburn and Marc Bélanger, have opted not to run again. Bélanger specifically cited his own unresolved campaign debt of $30,000 as a reason, calling a second bid irresponsible.
Roy, 32, earned less than one percent of the vote in the 2025 contest and was dropped from the ballot after the first round. His renewed bid, therefore, represents a long-shot challenge against the party establishment's apparent favourite, Charles Milliard. The coming weeks will determine whether Roy can muster the financial and grassroots support needed to make his candidacy official and shape the future of the Quebec Liberal Party.
