Ruba Ghazal

Early life and immigration

Ruba Ghazal was born in Beirut, Lebanon on December 6, 1977, into a family of Palestinian refugees. Her early childhood was spent in the United Arab Emirates until the age of ten, when her family immigrated to Quebec. This move placed Ghazal directly into Quebec's linguistic and cultural environment during a formative period. She later pursued higher education at HEC Montréal, a prominent business school affiliated with the Université de Montréal. Her personal experience as an immigrant who learned French through Quebec's language policies, notably Bill 101, has profoundly influenced her political outlook. Ghazal has described herself as a 'child of Bill 101,' crediting the law with facilitating her integration into Quebec society.

Political ascent with Québec solidaire

Ghazal's political involvement began with the founding of Québec solidaire in 2006, an event where she was a participating member. She first sought elected office as the party's candidate in the riding of Laurier-Dorion during the 2007 and 2008 provincial elections. After a decade of party building and activism, she successfully ran in the 2018 election in the Montreal riding of Mercier, succeeding fellow Québec solidaire MNA Amir Khadir. Her re-election in 2022 solidified her position, and she was appointed the official opposition critic for several key portfolios. These included Education, Culture and Communications, the French Language, and the Status of Women, roles that positioned her at the forefront of major policy debates in the National Assembly.

Leadership within Québec solidaire

Ghazal's rise to the leadership of Québec solidaire was a multi-stage process. She first contested the party's female co-spokesperson election in 2023, narrowly losing to Émilise Lessard-Therrien in the second round by a margin of 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent. Following Lessard-Therrien's resignation in April 2024, Ghazal ran again for the position and was acclaimed as co-spokesperson on November 16, 2024, after an uncontested election. Her leadership role expanded significantly on March 21, 2025, when she became the party's parliamentary leader after her male co-spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, resigned from that specific role. This sequence of events established Ghazal as the party's principal figure in the legislature leading into the 2026 election, where she served as Québec solidaire's candidate for premier.

Policy positions and advocacy

As a legislator and critic, Ghazal has developed a clear policy focus, particularly on language and education. She has consistently advocated for stronger government measures to reverse the decline of French in Montreal, Quebec's largest city and a linguistic focal point. A specific proposal from Ghazal has been the creation of a dedicated Montreal branch of the Office québécois de la langue française to intensify language promotion and enforcement in the metropolitan region. In her education portfolio, she has emphasized the need for adequate funding and support for the public school system. Her approach combines a staunch defence of Quebec's linguistic framework with the left-wing economic and social policies central to Québec solidaire's platform.

Foreign policy and international stance

Ghazal's foreign policy views, particularly regarding the Israeli, Palestinian conflict, are informed by her family's history. During the 2021 Israel, Palestine crisis, she attended protests against Israeli government actions in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods like Sheikh Jarrah. At the time, she stated that future generations would look back and declare the situation a humanitarian crime against Palestinians. That same year, she was among the signatories of a letter opposing Canada's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, criticizing the country's position on Palestine. These actions reflect a willingness to take foreign policy stances that align with her principles, even when they may diverge from broader Canadian political consensus.

The 2026 election and third term

The 2026 Quebec general election marked a significant milestone as Ghazal led Québec solidaire as its candidate for premier. During the campaign, she emphasized the party's core platforms of independence, ecological transition, and social justice. On election night, October 5, 2026, she addressed supporters in Montreal after being projected to win her riding of Mercier. The result secured her a third consecutive term as the Member of the National Assembly for Mercier. Her role as Leader of the Second Opposition Group, which she held from March 24, 2025, to August 27, 2026, concluded with the dissolution of the legislature for the election. The 2026 campaign cemented her status as a principal voice for Quebec's left-wing sovereigntist movement.

Personal life

Ghazal maintains a relatively private personal life, with limited details in the public record. It is known that she has been in a relationship with Hubert Proulx since 2021. She has spoken about her parents' initial aversion to politics, a sentiment rooted in their experiences as Palestinian refugees, which contrasted with her own path into political life. Her journey from a child learning a new language and culture in Quebec to a party leader and three-term MNA forms a central narrative of her public persona. This background continues to inform her political identity and connection with diverse constituencies in her Montreal riding.

Questions about Ruba Ghazal

What is Ruba Ghazal's current role in Quebec politics?

Ruba Ghazal is the female co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, a position she has held since November 2024. She also serves as the Member of the National Assembly for the Montreal riding of Mercier, a seat she first won in 2018 and held through re-election in 2022 and 2026. Following the resignation of Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, she acted as the party's parliamentary leader from March 2025 until the 2026 election. In the 2026 provincial election, she was Québec solidaire's candidate for premier.

Where was Ruba Ghazal born and how did she come to Quebec?

Ruba Ghazal was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on December 6, 1977. Her family were Palestinian refugees. She lived in the United Arab Emirates for the first decade of her life before her family immigrated to Quebec when she was ten years old. This immigration experience and learning French in Quebec's school system under the provisions of Bill 101 have been foundational to her personal and political development. She later studied at HEC Montréal in Quebec.

What are Ruba Ghazal's main policy priorities?

Ghazal's key policy priorities centre on protecting the French language, particularly in Montreal, and advocating for robust public education. As a critic, she proposed creating a special Montreal branch of the Office québécois de la langue française to address the language's decline in the city. She also focuses on issues related to the status of women and cultural communications. Her political stance integrates these Quebec-specific concerns with Québec solidaire's broader platform of sovereignty, social justice, and environmental action.

What is Ghazal's stance on the Israeli, Palestinian conflict?

Ruba Ghazal has been publicly critical of Israeli government actions toward Palestinians, a position influenced by her family's refugee background. In 2021, she attended protests related to the crisis in Sheikh Jarrah and described the situation as a future humanitarian crime. That same year, she signed a letter opposing Canada's bid for a UN Security Council seat due to the country's position on Palestine. These actions illustrate her willingness to engage in foreign policy debates from a perspective that aligns with her personal history and political principles.

How did Ruba Ghazal become the leader of Québec solidaire?

Ghazal became co-spokesperson through a party election process. She first ran for the female co-spokesperson role in 2023 but lost a close second-round vote to Émilise Lessard-Therrien. After Lessard-Therrien stepped down in April 2024, Ghazal ran again and was acclaimed to the position in an uncontested election on November 16, 2024. She subsequently took on the additional role of parliamentary leader in March 2025 following Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois's resignation from that post, consolidating her leadership ahead of the 2026 election.

Which riding does Ruba Ghazal represent and when was she first elected?

Ruba Ghazal represents the provincial riding of Mercier, located in Montreal. She was first elected in the 2018 Quebec general election, succeeding fellow Québec solidaire MNA Amir Khadir. She successfully defended the seat in the 2022 election and again in the 2026 election, securing her third term as the MNA for Mercier. The riding has been a stronghold for Québec solidaire, and her repeated victories there underscore her local support and political durability.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.