Quebec government to table bill banning vote-buying in leadership races

By Canadian Press on December 4, 2025.

QUÉBEC — The Quebec government will table a bill on Friday to ban vote-buying in political party leadership races.

The legislation comes following allegations that some party members who voted for Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez during a leadership race earlier this year could have received cash rewards.

Élections Québec later revealed that the province’s Elections Act does not prohibit people from making donations in exchange for votes.

Jean-François Roberge, the minister responsible for democratic institutions, says it became “obvious” that new legislation was needed.

The minister says he expects all opposition parties to support the bill so that it can be passed by the end of the legislative session on Dec. 12.

The Liberal party has launched an investigation to shed light on the allegations, which were first reported in the Journal de Montréal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2025.

The Canadian Press