As I write these lines, we are on April 14, an important date in the life of Jean Charest. On April 14, 2003, he became Premier of Quebec. Nineteen years later, he finds himself in a race that could become one of the most perilous of his career.
Jean Charest has known victories above all, in politics. As for his rare defeats, they were always described as honorable. In 1998, he was defeated by Lucien Bouchard in the number of seats, but he could boast of having obtained more votes than this charismatic leader.
In 2012, he was beaten by Pauline Marois. But the gap of only four seats seemed like a miracle in a context where corruption and demonstrations had monopolized the news of the previous year.
It has already made up for lost time and recovered. His combative temperament serves him well in difficult circumstances. However, in the Tory leadership race, things look much more ominous.
Monster Mobilization
Not only did Pierre Poilièvre start this race with a solid head start, but his campaign seems to be gaining momentum week by week. It is by the thousands that we count the participants in the gatherings to which he points. We had not seen this kind of political mobilization for a long time.
Poilièvre struggled to get to one of his rallies in Alberta, stuck in traffic congestion caused by his own event. Invited by social networks, people show up en masse and jostle to see the candidate up close or have their picture taken with him. We notice the presence of many young people in the crowds.
We are not living in years where massive participation in political assemblies is the norm. Who are these enthusiastic people? Are these citizens who participated in all the anti-sanitary measures demonstrations? Poilièvre stood out for his support of the so-called “freedom convoy”.
Is it rather a real grassroots movement of the angry middle class, which suffers from inflation and feels forgotten by governments? At this point, no matter where they come from, there are many of them. They become members of the party in order to support Pierre Poilièvre and make the rise more abrupt for Jean Charest.
Hazard
To the point where the proud fighter Charest must fear humiliation. An end of the race where he would not even be visible in the angle of the camera at the finish line.
He has one card left: his pugnacious side. To prove that Poilièvre is an interesting character but that he does not have the stuff to govern. He struck a blow with his attack on the fact that Poilièvre would be rendered unfit to govern after the support given to trucker blockades. Poilièvre claims to have supported only the “legal” gestures, but not the rest. Attackable, shall we say.
There will be three debates in May. The little guy from Sherbrooke will have to deliver the performances of his life.