Futur Montréal unveils party leader, mayoral candidate

By News Staff, Posted August 20, 2025 11:57 am,  Last Updated August 20, 2025 12:42 pm.

Montreal’s newest municipal party has unveiled its leader, the person who will run for mayor in the fall election.
Jean-François Kacou was announced on Wednesday as the leader of Futur Montréal, the nascent party that promises to “do politics differently” at the municipal level.

Kacou is the former executive director of the City of Percé and former executive director of Ensemble Montréal. He is the president of the Salon du Chocolat de Montréal, and an elected member of the executive committee of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
“This is not just a nomination. This is history,” said party co-founder Joel DeBellefeuille. “Jean-François Kacou is a leader of unmatched experience and credibility. He has built institutions, shaped policies, and drafted the constitution that Ensemble Montréal still uses today. Now he brings that vision and discipline to Futur Montréal.
“With him as leader, our party is not just entering the race. We are ready to redefine Montreal’s future.”
Co-founded by DeBellefeuille and Matthew Kerr, Futur Montréal plans to present a full slate of 103 candidates in the Nov. 2 election, including borough mayors, city councillors and borough councillors.
At Wednesday’s introductory press conference, Futur Montréal also presented Gulnar Mousa, the party’s candidate for the Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce mayoralty.