The historian Frédéric Bastien, who wanted to be a candidate in the riding of Bourget for the Parti Québécois (PQ), will ultimately not be a candidate at all in 2022.
The one who finished fourth in the PQ leadership race in 2020 told the Duty that he was abandoning the idea of participating in the October elections and turning instead to new professional opportunities.
“Plans have changed,” he said when contacted Monday.
Sunday evening at Everybody talks about it, the PQ leader, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, has confirmed his intentions to run for Bourget for the fall 2022 election. Mr. Bastien nevertheless had his eye on the Montreal riding. In a tweet – since deleted – he signified on October 11 his intentions to “continue the fight for the nation by [s’y] running in the next election.
“Mr. Plamondon has expressed his desire to go to Bourget. He thinks it’s the best county for the chief, observed Mr. Bastien on the phone, in the morning. As they say, events decided for me, in a way. »
“I am loyal to my boss,” he added.
Before passing into the hands of the Coalition avenir Québec, the riding of Bourget belonged to the PQ for 24 years in a row. It is the former stronghold of ministers Maka Kotto and Camille Laurin.
“I think Paul has a better chance than me of taking the county,” analyzed Mr. Bastien on Monday.Have
The historian, who for some time now has a regular blog with the Montreal Journal, points out that the opportunities that arose in the media facilitated the final decision. “There is a chronicle project. All this is not compatible with a candidacy, ”he observed.
In the leadership ballot held virtually in October 2020, Mr. Bastien obtained 10% of the first round votes of PQ activists. He rallied quickly to his new leader and took part in the training congress in December.