The day after the debate in English and less than 24 hours before the start of the advance poll, the leader of the Montreal Movement Balarama Holness called on voters on Friday to avoid strategic voting, particularly attacking Denis Coderre.
“A vote for Balarama Holness is a vote for Balarama Holness,” hammered the ex-football player on the sidelines of a press conference held in front of the town hall at the start of the day.
He thus referred to the words of the leader of Ensemble Montreal, Denis Coderre, who hinted Thursday after the English debate “that a vote for Balarama is a vote for Valérie Plante”, a formula that he also repeated. during a press briefing on Friday. By showing concern that the division of the vote allows the outgoing mayor to be re-elected, Mr. Coderre then hammered that the metropolis “cannot afford four more years of Project Montreal”.
A survey Leger-Montreal Gazette-Journal de Montreal, published Thursday, placed the two main contenders for mayor of Montreal, Denis Coderre and Valérie Plante, each tied with 36% of the voting intentions, followed by Balarama Holness who obtained 12%.
Note: this same probe had, however, raised that Mr. Holness is likely to harm Mr. Coderre more than Mr.me Plant on the side of English-speaking voters, which makes the leader of the Montreal Movement say that the former mayor is in “panic” mode.
“This idea that Mr. Coderre is in the process of conveying, by trying to associate myself with Mr.me Plant, it is because he is trembling in his boots. It is also undemocratic. Strategic voting has no place in this municipal election, ”said the 38-year-old man on this subject on Friday.
Ready to “rule”
As for his support, Balarama Holness assures us that he will strengthen them in the coming days. “We are at 12%, but I would not be surprised to see us go up from five to ten points in the next polls. What is certain is that we are ready to govern, ”he said.
Mme Plante, Mr. Coderre and Mr. Holness clashed Thursday in a final television debate in English, during which bilingualism, inclusion and public safety marked the exchanges. Despite clashes, the exchanges were quite cordial. At least, more than they had been during the first debate in French. Several English-speaking media (Montreal Gazette, Global News, CBC, CJAD 800, City News and CTV News) helped organize.
It all came as the Montreal municipal campaign began its very final stretch. Advance polls must indeed be held Saturday and Sunday in Montreal. Polling days will be held the following weekend, November 6 and 7. All the candidates unanimously called on citizens to vote in the last few days, regardless of their choice, to promote democratic exercise.
Recall that last week, a CROP poll commissioned by Radio-Canada gave 26% to Denis Coderre, 25% to Valérie Plante and 5% to Balarama Holness.