François Legault will resign as Quebec Premier, he announced on Wednesday morning.

In a hastily arranged press conference at the National Assembly in Quebec City, Mr. Legault said he would step aside after nearly eight years in power, ahead of a scheduled fall election.

By founding the Coalition Avenir Québec in 2011, Mr. Legault shook up the province’s politics by disrupting the back-and-forth between federalists and sovereigntists, arguing that Quebec was a distinct nation, but that independence wasn’t a viable solution.

Mr. Legault said he will remain as Premier until his party has chosen a new leader.