In the autumn breeze of Chibougamau, François Legault drew up his campaign report. A good campaign, he says, “the best campaign to respond to the concerns of Quebecers.”
With 24 hours to vote, he should instead be thanking heaven for facing such a divided opposition. Whoever had only to reap the fruits of his first term will have rather succeeded in sowing doubts about the second.
François Legault was to inspire, he became the default choice.
Confront
Let’s go on. The slogan was well chosen. He relied on the confidence inspired by the man who has already described himself as the Father of the Quebec nation.
Always pragmatic, the CAQ has been able to offer an all-purpose solution to the rising cost of living, an economic project to the climate crisis. Well planted in the middle, everything was going for the best, until the day when the song of the nationalist sirens got the better of the game plan.
Specter of immigrant violence, suicide of the nation, he brandished racism on Saturday!
“Analysts” would accuse him of being racist. Impliedly, the elites judge him and despise him.
So far, polarizing the identity debate has always served him well. This campaign will have demonstrated the limits of its strategy.
His aggressive, divisive tone served as fuel for his opponents. Not enough to undo it. But certainly enough to consolidate their fragile support at the end of the summer.
save the furniture
François Legault has often repeated it: “Pride without prosperity lacks means. Prosperity without pride lacks meaning.
But his slippages on immigration have weakened the argument.
The pride that stigmatizes newcomers, the pride that feeds the worst prejudices as Minister Jean Boulet did, the pride that compares Quebec to the suburbs of Paris, this pride has sown unease.
This malaise, the adversaries of the CAQ seized on it.
It is not for nothing that Dominique Anglade insists that François Legault has tarnished the reputation of Quebec with his nationalism. It no longer addresses the French speakers who have escaped it. It consolidates what remains of its Montreal base, which still believes in a strong and diversified Quebec nation.
As for the leader of the Parti Québécois, his affable and respectful tone and his idealism reminded us that pride could be happy and positive.
The crossing of the desert of the old parties is far from over. But the divisive campaign of François Legault will have offered them an oasis at the right time to hope to survive and rebuild.
Finally, the old fault lines in Quebec remain, thus complicating the task of the new parties.
Québec solidaire is becoming more professional, but doubts remain within the middle class. The Conservative Party has run out of steam.
The fruit of change does not seem ripe.
For François Legault’s CAQ, divide and conquer has never been so true.