Luc Rabouin, the leader of Projet Montréal, has announced his decision to step down following the recent election defeat in Montreal. The defeat came at the hands of Soraya Martinez Ferrada, representing Ensemble Montréal, marking the end of Projet Montréal’s eight-year leadership in the city.
During a speech to his supporters, the 57-year-old Rabouin expressed his intention to resign as the party leader in the upcoming days. He took full responsibility for the loss and commended Martinez Ferrada, an immigrant from Chile, on her historic victory for the Latin-American community and Montreal immigrants.
Throughout his campaign, Rabouin, known for his ecological stance, emphasized initiatives to address homelessness, social housing, tramway projects, construction planning, and climate resilience in the city. Despite his experience overseeing the city’s finances and familiarity with city hall operations, Rabouin may have struggled to present himself as a fresh voice in an election where change was sought after.
The election also highlighted the diverging opinions within the city, as Rabouin balanced proposing solutions to pressing issues like homelessness while defending past policies, including controversial ones such as bike lane expansion and infrastructure projects initiated during the previous administration.
The defeat signifies the end of Projet Montréal’s era at city hall, following the successful tenure of the first woman mayor, Valérie Plante. Rabouin had assumed leadership of the party in March after Plante opted not to seek re-election for a third term, having previously served as borough mayor for Plateau—Mont-Royal.
