Political career
Furey first expressed interest in entering politics in 2015, saying that his work with Team Broken Earth "left me with a want and desire to do more". Speculation that Furey was being pitched to replace incumbent Premier Dwight Ball emerged as early as 2017.
When Ball announced his eventual resignation in February 2020, Furey quickly became a potential contender and was almost immediately regarded as the frontrunner to succeed him. Furey announced his intention to run for the leadership of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party on March 3, 2020, in St. John's, and he was swiftly endorsed by the majority of Ball's cabinet. On August 3, 2020, he was elected leader at the party's convention, receiving approximately two-thirds of votes cast. On August 19, 2020, Furey was formally sworn in as Premier, along with his provincial cabinet.
As Furey did not hold a seat in the legislature, he announced on September 7, 2020, that he would contest the by-election for Ball's former seat of Humber-Gros Morne. On October 6, 2020, Furey won the by-election in Humber-Gros Morne.
On January 15, 2021, Furey asked Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to dissolve the House of Assembly to call for an election in order to obtain a stronger mandate in the form of a majority government. The election was originally scheduled for February 13, 2021, but a COVID-19 outbreak in St. John's forced Elections NL to switch to a mail-in election, cancelling in-person voting for all districts. The deadline was set on March 25, 2021, and the results were announced on March 27, 2021, with Furey's Liberals winning a majority government.
On June 23, 2021, Furey announced Nalcor Energy would be dismantled and folded into Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
On December 23, 2021, during the Omicron variant outbreak that put over 1,000 health-care workers in isolation, Furey helped administer vaccines to current and retired public service workers and their families at the Confederation Building. Furey then travelled to Labrador, particularly Happy Valley-Goose Bay, on January 3, 2022, to help a team of physicians administer vaccines. Furey then travelled to Bell Island to help administer vaccines on January 13, 2022.
On January 30, 2024, Liberal candidate Fred Hutton was elected in the Conception Bay East - Bell Island by-election gaining the seat from the Progressive Conservatives.
In December 2024, Furey and Quebec premier François Legault signed a 50-year agreement renegotiating the 1969 Churchill Falls Generating Station agreement, which had become vastly more profitable for Hydro-Québec after energy prices significantly rose but the cost for Hydro-Québec to purchase energy was frozen by the contract until 2041. If ratified by both provinces, the rates for Churchill Falls would go up and Quebec would pay Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro $3.5 billion for co-development rights for two anticipated Churchill River energy projects.
On February 25, 2025, Furey announced that he would be resigning as premier as soon as the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador elected a successor. In a letter shared publicly, Furey wrote that "it has been my honour to serve as your 14th Premier. With a heart full of pride and confidence in our future, my family and I have decided it is time for me to leave the Premier’s Office." On May 3, 2025, Windsor Lake MHA John Hogan won the 2025 Liberal leadership election. On May 9, 2025, Furey officially was replaced by Hogan as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. On July 3, 2025, Furey officially resigned his seat of Humber-Gros Morne in the House of Assembly. His seat was taken by the PC candidate Mike Goosney in the 2025 Newfoundland and Labrador general election.
