In 2017, the delegates of Québec solidaire brutally rejected any form of convergence with the Parti Québécois. Some even went so far as to call the PQ “neoliberals” and “racists”. A very bad vaudeville.
The reality, however, was very simple. The solidaries seeing themselves as the only alternative to the Liberals of Philippe Couillard, they had above all judged that an alliance with the PQ – an “old” party on its decline – would go against their partisan interests.
In the 2018 elections, however, the victory of the CAQ robbed them of the title of alternative to the Liberals. This year, however, QS made the same error of analysis.
Under its leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, QS presented itself as the only alternative to François Legault’s CAQ and the only party deserving official opposition status. We know the rest…
With 11 deputies and 15.43% of the vote, QS even finds itself trapped with the PQ. Which, with its 3 deputies and 14.61% of the votes, is not entitled either to the precious status of a recognized parliamentary group in the National Assembly.
Unless, of course, the official Liberal opposition agrees. Which, unlike 2018, is far from being done. The parliamentary fate of the two enemy brothers is thus linked once again.
Inevitable question
The irony is cruel. A vital question will therefore inevitably arise.
Despite the heavy mutual grudges inherited from QS’s rejection of any convergence with the PQ, will the two parties one day be tempted by a new reflection on the subject? Very clever the soothsayers. What we can say about it is nevertheless this.
Because the CAQ’s victory is massive and the opposition is divided like never before into four parties of similar strength in terms of votes collected, over time the idea of a QS-PQ alliance might seem less far-fetched.
Remember also that the defunct PQ-QS convergence project was not intended to merge the two parties. Rather, he proposed a strategic alliance in the form of an electoral pact.
In certain targeted counties, this pact would have allowed them to present a single candidate from one of the two parties. Objective: to try to block the road to the local candidate of the PLQ or the CAQ. Which never happened.
Hooked atoms
It is true, however, that Solidarity and PQ voters are not automatic communicating vessels. The surprise victory of PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in Camille-Laurin against the outgoing CAQ deputy, however, requires reflection.
Facilitated by the forced withdrawal of the candidate from QS, the election of PSPP makes it possible to think that an alliance, if it were voluntary, would possibly be more promising than the status quo.
The PQ being now reduced to 3 seats, if talks resumed one day with QS – a big “if” – they would have to find a new alliance formula.
On several issues, including health and the environment, we also note that between PSPP and GND, the hooks are much more numerous than in 2017 under the PQ leader Jean-François Lisée and the painful memory of the charter of values .
So who knows? If only in the name of the principle of reality and lucidity, will the Solidarity and the PQ finally be condemned to agree?