A majority of respondents to a recent INsauga poll say federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has lost control of the Conservative Party of Canada, following recent caucus changes and signs of internal division.
The online poll asked readers: Has Pierre Poilievre lost control of the federal Conservative Party? A total of 8,245 votes were cast.
According to the results, 72.2 per cent of respondents—5,949 voters—answered yes, saying internal divisions are becoming increasingly clear. The remaining 27.8 per cent, or 2,296 respondents, said Poilievre remains firmly in control of the party.
The poll was conducted over the past 30 days as part of INsauga’s ongoing reader engagement surveys. Over that period, the publication recorded more than 63,000 poll responses across topics, with over 1.1 million votes accumulated all time.
Recent caucus changes
The poll follows several high-profile developments within the Conservative caucus during the current Parliament. In November 2025, Conservative MP Chris d’Entremont left the party and joined the Liberal caucus. One month later, Michael Ma, who had been elected as a Conservative MP earlier in 2025, also crossed the floor to the Liberals.
Those departures reduced the size of the Conservative caucus in the House of Commons and increased the Liberal seat count, drawing renewed attention to questions of party unity and leadership authority.
Broader political context
Poilievre has led the Conservatives since September 2022. During his tenure, the party has consistently outperformed the Liberals in national opinion polling, particularly on issues such as affordability, housing, and the cost of living.
At the same time, there have been publicly reported disagreements within the Conservative caucus on policy positions and parliamentary strategy. While internal debate is common in Canadian politics, the recent floor crossings and instances of public dissent have intensified scrutiny of caucus cohesion.
What the poll shows—and what it doesn’t
The results reflect the views of INsauga readers, most of whom are based in southern Ontario. Participation in the poll was voluntary and limited to the publication’s audience, meaning the findings are not based on a scientific or nationally representative sample of Canadian voters.
INsauga recorded approximately 17 million pageviews in the 30 days leading up to the poll’s publication.
Despite its limitations, the survey indicates that a clear majority of respondents link recent caucus changes and internal developments to a perceived weakening of Poilievre’s control over the party. Just over one-quarter of respondents, however, continue to believe he maintains firm leadership authority.
As Parliament resumes and attention turns toward the next federal election, party unity and caucus stability are expected to remain central to both political debate and public perception.