Ruba Ghazal

Early life, education, and professional career

Ruba Ghazal was born on December 6, 1977, in Beirut, Lebanon, into a family of Palestinian refugees. She lived in the United Arab Emirates until the age of ten, when her family immigrated to Quebec, Canada. This move placed her directly into Quebec's linguistic and cultural environment during a formative period. She has described herself as a 'child of Bill 101,' crediting the province's French-language charter with facilitating her integration. Ghazal pursued higher education in Quebec, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal. Before entering politics, Ghazal worked in environmental management for manufacturing companies. Her professional experience included positions at Bombardier and Church & Dwight. At the time of her first election in 2018, she was the director of health, safety, and environment for the glass manufacturer O-I. This background in business and environmental management provided a practical foundation for her later work on policy within Québec solidaire.

Political career and rise within Québec solidaire

Ruba Ghazal's political involvement began at the inception of Québec solidaire, as she was a founding member of the party when it was established in 2006. She first sought elected office as the party's candidate in the Montreal riding of Laurier-Dorion during the 2007 and 2008 provincial elections. After a decade of activism and party building, she successfully ran in the 2018 provincial election in the riding of Mercier, succeeding fellow Québec solidaire MNA Amir Khadir. Her election marked a significant step in her political career, bringing her into the National Assembly.

Following her re-election in the 2022 provincial election, Ghazal was appointed the official opposition critic for several key portfolios, including Education, Culture and Communications, the French Language, and the Status of Women. Her ascent to the party's leadership was a multi-stage process that began with her first bid for the female co-spokesperson position in 2023. In that contest, she narrowly lost to Émilise Lessard-Therrien in the second round by a margin of 49.7 percent to 50.3 percent. After Lessard-Therrien stepped down in April 2024, Ghazal ran again and was acclaimed as the female co-spokesperson on November 16, 2024.

Her leadership role expanded significantly on March 21, 2025, when she became Québec solidaire's parliamentary leader after her male co-spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, resigned from that specific role. This established Ghazal as the party's principal figure in the National Assembly, a position she held until the dissolution of the legislature for the 2026 election. During this period, she also served as the Leader of the Second Opposition Group from March 24, 2025, to August 27, 2026. These successive roles positioned her to lead Québec solidaire into the 2026 general election as its candidate for premier.

Policy positions and legislative focus

As a legislator and critic, Ruba Ghazal has developed a clear and consistent policy focus, particularly on issues of language, education, and social justice. Her advocacy is rooted in her personal experience as an immigrant who learned French through Quebec's language policies. A specific and recurring 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 efforts in the metropolitan region. In her role as opposition critic for education, Ghazal emphasized the need for strong funding and support for Quebec's public school system.

Ghazal's policy approach combines Québec solidaire's core left-wing economic platform with a staunch defence of Quebec's linguistic framework and public institutions. Following the 2026 election, which resulted in a minority Parti Québécois government, Ghazal stated that her party, holding the balance of power, would push for significant investment in public education, public health, and social programs. She has explicitly warned that neglecting these areas could lead to social unrest. Her work as a critic covered a wide range of interconnected files, which she approached with a consistent philosophy of state intervention for the public good.

Ghazal's foreign policy views, particularly regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict, are informed by her family's history as Palestinian refugees. During the 2021 Israel Palestine crisis, she attended protests in Montreal against Israeli government actions in East Jerusalem neighbourhoods such as Sheikh Jarrah. She stated at the time that future generations would look back and declare the situation a humanitarian crime against Palestinians. That same year, she was a signatory to a letter opposing Canada's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, criticizing the country's position on Palestine. These stances demonstrate her willingness to engage on international issues based on principle.

The 2026 general election and third term

The 2026 Quebec general election marked a significant milestone as Ghazal led Québec solidaire as its candidate for premier. The election was held on October 5, 2026. During the campaign, she emphasized the party's core platforms of independence, ecological transition, and social justice. She stated that Quebec's independence project should not depend on figures like Donald Trump.

On election night, October 5, 2026, Ghazal addressed supporters in Montreal after television networks projected her re election in her riding of Mercier. The result secured her a third consecutive term as the Member of the National Assembly for that Montreal constituency. While Québec solidaire did not form government, the party returned to the National Assembly with nine MNAs and was positioned to hold the balance of power in a minority legislature led by the Parti Québécois. In her post election remarks, Ghazal emphasized that her party would use its influence to push for major investments in public services and the social safety net.

The 2026 campaign and its outcome solidified Ghazal's position as a central and influential figure in Quebec politics. Twenty years after helping to found Québec solidaire, she had ascended to its leadership and guided it through a general election as its standard-bearer. Her re election in Mercier demonstrated continued local support, while her national profile was greatly increased through the premier candidacy and the subsequent minority government dynamic. The election set the stage for her to be a decisive actor as co spokesperson of the second opposition group in a new parliamentary dynamic.

Key electoral results and parliamentary roles

Ruba Ghazal's electoral record demonstrates her steady rise and solidified support in the Montreal riding of Mercier. Her first successful campaign in 2018 saw her succeed Amir Khadir and establish a strong base for Québec solidaire in the area. She defended that seat successfully in 2022, and again in 2026, building a record of consistent voter confidence over three consecutive general elections. Throughout her time in the National Assembly, she has held several significant parliamentary and party positions that have defined her political influence and responsibilities.

Ghazal was first elected to the National Assembly of Quebec for the district of Mercier in 2018. Following her re-election in 2022, she became the opposition critic for Education, Culture and Communications, the French Language, and the Status of Women. She was acclaimed as the female co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire on November 16, 2024. She became the party's parliamentary leader on March 21, 2025, and served as the Leader of the Second Opposition Group from March 24, 2025, to August 27, 2026.

• Official opposition critic for Education (2022 to 2024).
• Official opposition critic for Culture and Communications (2022 to 2024).
• Official opposition critic for the French Language (2022 to 2024).
• Official opposition critic for the Status of Women (2022 to 2024).
• Female co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire (from November 16, 2024).
• Parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire (March 21, 2025 to August 27, 2026).
• Leader of the Second Opposition Group (March 24, 2025 to August 27, 2026).
• Candidate for premier of Quebec (2026 general election).

Following the 2026 Quebec general election, which resulted in a Parti Québécois minority government, she stated her party would hold the balance of power. She planned to push for investment in Quebec's public education system, public health system, and social programs. Her work has focused on linking the party's objectives with its commitments to social democracy and environmentalism. She has been a member of Québec solidaire since its founding in 2006 and was the party's candidate for premier in that 2026 election.

Personal life and public profile

Ruba Ghazal maintains a public profile that is closely tied to her political work, with limited details about her private life shared publicly. Since 2021, she has been in a relationship with actor Hubert Proulx. Her personal narrative as an immigrant from a Palestinian refugee background is an integral part of her political identity, frequently referenced in speeches and interviews to explain her perspectives on integration, language, and international solidarity. Ghazal has stated that her experience arriving in Quebec at age ten and learning French through the public school system under Bill 101 was foundational.

Her professional background in environmental management for corporations provides a contrast to her left-wing platform. She often draws on this experience when discussing economic and ecological transitions. In media profiles, she is described as a pragmatic and determined figure within Québec solidaire. Her leadership style has been characterized as direct and focused on connecting the party's platform to daily concerns.

Ghazal's public statements and career path highlight several key themes. She has pushed for government policies to reverse the decline of the French language in Montreal. She has advocated for the creation of a special Montreal branch of the Office québécois de la langue française. In 2021, she attended protests against Israeli government actions during the Israel-Palestine crisis. She has described herself as a 'child of Bill 101,' crediting the law with facilitating her integration into Quebec society.

• Self-identification as a 'child of Bill 101' and advocate for French-language protection.
• Use of her corporate environmental management experience to inform policy on ecological transition.
• Willingness to take principled foreign policy stances, such as on Palestinian rights.
• Focus on public service investment as a foundation for social stability and cohesion.
• Commitment to Quebec sovereignty combined with social democratic economics and justice.

Questions about Ruba Ghazal

What is Ruba Ghazal's background?

Ruba Ghazal was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on December 6, 1977, into a family of Palestinian refugees. She lived in the United Arab Emirates until the age of ten, when her family immigrated to Quebec. She credits Quebec's French language charter, Bill 101, with facilitating her integration into society, often calling herself a 'child of Bill 101.' She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal. Before politics, she worked in environmental management for companies including Bombardier and O-I.

When was Ruba Ghazal first elected?

Ruba Ghazal was first elected to the National Assembly of Quebec in the 2018 provincial election. She won in the Montreal riding of Mercier, succeeding fellow Québec solidaire MNA Amir Khadir. She was re elected in the 2022 provincial election and again in the 2026 Quebec general election. This secured her third consecutive term as the Member of the National Assembly for the district of Mercier.

What is her role in Québec solidaire?

Ruba Ghazal is the female co spokesperson of Québec solidaire. She was acclaimed to this position on November 16, 2024, after an uncontested election. She previously served as the party's parliamentary leader from March 21, 2025, to August 27, 2026. In the 2026 Quebec general election, she was the party's candidate for premier.

What are her main policy priorities?

Her main policy priorities include the protection and promotion of the French language in Montreal. She has advocated for a special branch of the Office québécois de la langue française for the city. She also prioritizes investment in public education, healthcare, and social programs. Her political views are shaped by Québec solidaire's platforms of Quebec independence, social justice, and ecological transition.

How did she become the leader of Québec solidaire?

Ghazal's path to leadership involved two bids for the female co spokesperson position. She first ran in 2023, narrowly losing to Émilise Lessard Therrien by a margin of 49.7 percent to 50.3 percent. After Lessard Therrien resigned in April 2024, Ghazal ran again and was acclaimed as co spokesperson on November 16, 2024. Her leadership role within the legislature expanded on March 21, 2025, when she became parliamentary leader.

Was she re elected in the 2026 Quebec election?

Yes, Ruba Ghazal was re elected in the 2026 Quebec general election. She won her riding of Mercier for a third consecutive term as Member of the National Assembly. Following the election, which resulted in a Parti Québécois minority government, she stated her party would use its balance of power. She specifically planned to push for investments in public services like education and healthcare.

Sources and further reading

• Ruba Ghazal (Wikipedia)
• Quicksketch of Québec solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal (cjme.com)
• Québec solidaire's Ruba Ghazal demands immediate ... (montrealgazette.com)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.