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

← 2016 October 9, 2020
Turnout	71%
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 would 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, with one to take place in Montreal and the other in Centre-du-Québec, but they were 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 either the Capitale-Nationale or Chaudière-Appalaches regions.

Candidates

Declared

• Frédéric Bastien, historian, college teacher^[9]
• Sylvain Gaudreault, former interim leader of Parti Québécois (2016), former Leader of the Official Opposition in Quebec (2016), MNA for Jonquière (2007–present), Minister of Transport and Municipal Affairs under Pauline Marois^[10]
• Guy Nantel [fr], comedian^[11]
• Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon,^[12] 2016 leadership candidate (fourth place), lawyer, political columnist, essayist and commentator.^{[citation needed]}

Did not qualify

• Laurent Vézina, businessman^[13]
• Gloriane Blais, lawyer^[14][15]

Declined

• Yves-François Blanchet, MP for Beloeil—Chambly (2019–present), Bloc Québécois leader (2019–present), Québec Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Wildlife and Parks (2012-2014), MPP in Quebec National Assembly (2008-2014)
• Alexandre Cloutier, two-time PQ leadership runner-up in the 2015 and 2016, MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean (2007–2018), Minister responsible for the Nord-du-Québec region, Côte-Nord region, Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, the Canadian Francophonie and Sovereignist Governance under Pauline Marois, currently out of politics.^[16]
• Stéphane Handfield, lawyer ^[17]
• Véronique Hivon, PQ deputy leader, MNA for Joliette (2008–present), Minister of Social Services and Youth Protection, Minister responsible for the Lanaudière region and Minister responsible for the Die in Dignity commission under Pauline Marois^[8]
• Pierre Karl Péladeau, former PQ leader (2015–2016), MNA for Saint-Jérôme (2014–2016), President and CEO of Quebecor^[18]

Campaign

Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon

Pierre Plamondon supported "forceful measures" to promote the French language while preserving the rights of the Anglophone minority. Plamondon also pledged to hold a sovereignty referendum in the first mandate of a PQ government.^[19]

Guy Nantel

Guy Nantel advocated giving English the status of a "national language minority".^[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

• Parti Québécois leadership elections

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". from the original on 13 December 2019. 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". La Presse. 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. Colpron, Suzanne (13 February 2020). "Direction du PQ: Guy Nantel se lance dans la course". La Presse (in French). 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". La Presse. Lapresse.ca. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
16. "Alexandre Cloutier quitte la vie politique". 16 January 2018.
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. (in Canadian French). 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.