(Drummondville) The decision of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) to elect its next leader in the spring of 2025 divides liberal activists. Supporters of an early or late race agree on one point: a coronation would be the worst scenario for relaunching their political formation.
At the party’s general council this weekend in Drummonville, the announcement of the rules governing the leadership race, which will culminate in a convention in the Quebec region, provoked heated debates.
“Our associations [et] the basics are scrapped. There are several that don’t work pantout. The next leader will have a lot of work to do to rebuild all that,” said activist Paul-Eugène Grenon, who hoped for a run from 2024.
To run to become the next Liberal leader, candidates will need to collect the signatures of 750 members in good standing, from at least 70 ridings and 12 regions, including 350 new members. They will also be required to make a party deposit of $40,000. Election expenses will be limited to $400,000.
The president of the PLQ electoral committee, Nicolas Plourde, explained that a faster late race “would be likely […] to dissuade several candidates from running.” According to him, this factor was crucial for the executive council, which ultimately decided on the election of a leader in 2025.
Don’t wait for “a Messi”
At the microphones on Sunday, many activists denounced this choice. “In the Liberal Party, we cannot afford […] to wait for a Messi,” said young activist Maya Gonthier, who supports MP Frédéric Beauchemin to become leader.
The elected official for the Marguerite-Bourgeoys constituency was recently excluded from the liberal caucus during an investigation into a complaint for psychological harassment filed against him and his team of activists by Élyse Moisan, president of the youth commission and researcher. of the party in Parliament. Even if he was in favor of a hasty race, Mr. Beauchemin assured that the decision taken by the party “will not change [son] Game plan “.
Former minister Lucie Charlebois later called on Frédéric Beauchemin’s activists, who followed the MP in all his trips this weekend to Drummondville, to respect the party’s choice and to give time for other candidates to emerge. to present.
PHOTO HUGO-SEBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Liberal activist and former minister Lucie Charlebois
“Let’s mobilize, gang! Let’s stop shooting each other in the knees! […] Let’s put our party on the starting line and when the election comes, we’re going to be there and we’re going to win it! “, she said, which generated loud applause.
Derraji might reconsider his choice
In the press scrum, in the corridors of the congress, the parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party in Parliament, Monsef Derraji, suggested that he could reconsider his decision not to enter the race if there are not several candidates who are starting out.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Liberal MP Monsef Derraji
What I didn’t want and what I don’t want is a coronation. A coronation means only one thing. We are not going to be the real alternative to the CAQ in 2026 [avec un couronnement].
Monsef Derraji, liberal MP
André Fortin, who also gave up on entering the race, for his part confirmed that he will be very active in the coming weeks to solicit aspiring chefs to enter the race.
“It’s important to use our networks, to see who may be interested in a leadership race. For me, it will be part of my actions in the coming weeks and months,” he said.
The MP for Westmount–Saint-Louis, Jennifer Maccarone, said she was ambivalent between a race in 2024 or in 2025. She, however, supports the decision of the executive council of the PLQ. “We wish to have [un chef] quality. If that means waiting to get the right person, I’m willing to wait,” she said.
Time to rebuild
William Baril, political advisor to Frédéric Beauchemin and vice-president of the liberal youth wing, said he was “disappointed that the members were not listened to”. According to him, “without a leader, without a race and without a debate of ideas” in the short term, “the party seems to be sailing towards a direction that is not necessarily clear”.
In the plenary room, the one who co-chaired the committee on the relaunch of the PLQ, former senator André Pratte, affirmed that the activists must first “put the house in order” in order to attract the person who, he hoped, would become the next Prime Minister of Quebec.
At their lowest in the polls and after a crushing defeat during the last by-election in their former stronghold of Jean-Talon, the Liberals are aware of their challenges.
“I don’t know if people know it, but there’s not really a rush to become leader of the Liberal Party,” noted activist Vincent Lacroix. For him, a race in 2025 will allow the political party to recruit new members and rebuild itself.