2020 Parti Québécois leadership election

The 2020 Parti Québécois leadership election was held[1][2] on 9 October 2020,[3] to replace Jean-François Lisée, who resigned on 1 October 2018 after leading the Parti Québécois to a third-place finish in the 2018 Quebec general election and failing to be re-elected in his own riding.[4]

2020 Parti Québécois leadership election
October 9, 2020
Turnout71%
 
Candidate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon Sylvain Gaudreault
1st Ballot 9,042 8,415
percentage 35.44% 32.98%
3rd Ballot 13,530 10,621
percentage 56.02% 43.98%
 
Candidate Guy Nantel Frédéric Bastien
1st Ballot 5,449 2,559
percentage 21.55% 10.03%
3rd Ballot Eliminated Eliminated
Leader before election

Jean-François Lisée

 Elected Leader

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was elected on the third ballot with 56% of the vote.[5]

The election was originally scheduled for 19 June but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec.[6]

Background

On 1 October 2018, the Parti Québécois came in third in the Quebec general election, winning only ten seats and 17% of the popular vote, an all-time low. PQ leader Jean-François Lisée announces his resignation as leader after losing his own riding.[7][8]

Pascal Bérubé was named interim leader on 9 October 2018.

On 13 December 2019, Bérubé announced that the campaign will start on 1 February 2020 and that the leader would be chosen before 24 June 2020.[2]

Process

The nomination period officially began on March 2 and ended on April 9. To obtain an application form, each aspiring candidate had to give the party a non-refundable amount of $10,000. To make their candidacy official, each candidate must have submitted their ballot signed by at least 2,000 members from at least 9 administrative regions and at least 50 local associations and pay the party a non-refundable amount of $15,000.

For the first time, the Parti Québécois allowed both party members and supporters to participate in the election of the leader. Supporters had to pay $5̩ to obtain the right to vote. Anyone enjoying the status of voter in Quebec could contribute to the campaign of a leadership contestant by paying him an amount that cannot exceed $500. Applicants' maximum campaign expenses could not exceed $125,000. Two debates were to be organized by the Parti québécois between April 15 and May 20 - one in Montreal and the other in Center-du-Québec, but was postponed.

The voting period was to have begun on June 15 at 9 a.m. and end on June 19 at 3 p.m. but was delayed until the autumn. Voting took place by preferential ballot . Thus, a candidate who collected 50% + 1 vote would win. If necessary, a second or even a third round would be held to, after distribution of the 2nd and 3rd choices, choose a winner. The results were to be announced by the returning officer, in a location to be determined in the Capitale-Nationale or Chaudière-Appalaches regions.

Candidates

Declared

Did not qualify
  • Laurent Vézina, businessman[13]
  • Gloriane Blais, lawyer[14][15]

Declined

Campaign

Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon

Pierre Plamondon, says if he was premier he would not hesitate to take "forceful measures" to promote French while preserving the rights of the anglophone minority. Plamondon also pledged to hold a sovereignty referendum in a first mandate of a PQ government.[19]

Guy Nantel

Guy Nantel said English would have a "national language minority" status in his Quebec.[19]

Results
Results by round[20]
Candidate 1st round 2nd round 3rd round
Votes cast % Votes cast % Votes cast %
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon 9,042 35.44% 10,554 41.59% 13,530 56.02%
Sylvain Gaudreault 8,415 32,98% 8,906 35.09% 10,621 43.98%
Guy Nantel 5,499 21.55% 5,917 23.32% Eliminated
Frédéric Bastien 2,559 10.03% Eliminated
Total 25,515 100% 25,377 100% 24,151 100%

See also

Notes

    References
    1. "PQ MNA Sylvain Gaudreault officially launches party leadership bid". The Gazette. Montreal. The Canadian Press. 25 November 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
    2. Bovet, Sébastien (13 December 2019). "La course à la direction @partiquebecois sera officiellement lancée le 1er février prochain, annonce @PascalBerube. La date de l'élection du nouveau chef sera connue à ce moment mais le choix se fera avant le 24 juin 2020". Retrieved 13 December 2019. Pascal Bérubé announces that the Parti Québécois leadership race will be officially launched on February 1, 2020. At that point, the date of the election of the new leader will be known. The election will be before the 24th of June 2020.
    3. "Le PQ reporte l'élection de son prochain chef". Le Journal de Québec. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
    4. "PQ expected to elect a new leader this summer". CTV News. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
    5. "Paul St-Pierre Plamondon elected as new Parti Quebecois leader". CTV News. Canadian Press. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
    6. "COVID-19: Le Parti Québécois met sa course à la direction en pause". Le journal de Montreal. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
    7. Stober, Eric; Laframboise, Kalina (1 October 2018). "Parti Québécois Leader Jean-François Lisée steps down after losing own riding of Rosemont". Global News. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
    8. Banerjee, Sidhartha (2 October 2018). "Future of Parti Quebecois left shaky after Monday's loss at the polls". Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
    9. "Frédéric Bastien candidat à la direction du PQ". Lapresse.ca. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
    10. Bergeron, Patrice. "PQ leadership hopeful says Quebecers ready for gay premier". Global News. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    11. "Direction du PQ: Guy Nantel se lance dans la course". La Presse (in French). 13 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
    12. Lau, Rachel (25 November 2019). "Sylvain Gaudreault officially announces PQ leadership bid". CTV News. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
    13. "L'homme d'affaires Laurent Vézina veut devenir chef du PQ" (in French). TVA Nouvelles. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
    14. Simon Roberge (8 March 2020). "Gloriane Blais veut diriger le PQ". La Tribune. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
    15. Hugo Pilon-Larose (11 March 2020). "Course au PQ: l'avocate Gloriane Blais confirme sa candidature". Lapresse.ca. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
    16. https://lactualite.com/politique/exclusif-alexandre-cloutier-quitte-la-vie-politique/
    17. "Handfield se range derrière Gaudreault dans la course à la chefferie du Parti québécois". Le Devoir. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
    18. "Pierre Karl Péladeau quitte la politique". Radio-Canada. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
    19. "Four official candidates for Parti Québécois leadership". Montreal Gazette. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
    20. "The Parti Québécois has a new leader!" (in French). 9 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
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