Inside the Stunning Collapse of the Quebec Liberal Party | The Walrus

"After two-and-a-half years without a permanent leader, the Quebec Liberal Party finally elected one last summer. Now, they're leaderless again. A week before Christmas, Pablo Rodriguez resigned amid allegations of vote buying, plunging a once-dominant political machine back into crisis. The Liberals are polling around 20 percent and scrambling to rebuild trust with a base that's fed up with the disarray and fleeing. Meanwhile, support for the governing Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has collapsed; according to recent polls, François Legault is Canada's least popular premier."

"In this vacuum, the Parti Québécois (PQ) has surged ahead, dominating the polls for the last two years, even as it pledges a sovereignty referendum that most Quebecers say they don't want. All this with a provincial election scheduled for October. "I say this without hyperbole," says poll analyst Philippe J. Fournier, "but this election has no precedent in Quebec history, at least in the last fifty years.""

"At stake is more than one party's fortunes. The Liberals have been Quebec's federalist anchor for generations, but their unravelling comes precisely as the PQ is positioned to win a majority and trigger that referendum. If the Liberals can't rebuild by October, voters will be left with a tricky choice: a vote on sovereignty, a governing party they've soured on, or alternatives that remain electorally marginal. When the referendum comes, it's not clear who will be left to make the case for Canada."

The Quebec Liberal Party is again without a permanent leader after Pablo Rodriguez resigned amid allegations of vote buying, leaving the party in crisis and polling near 20 percent as its base abandons it. The governing CAQ has also seen a collapse in support, with François Legault ranked Canada's least popular premier. The Parti Québécois has led polls for two years while promising a sovereignty referendum that most Quebecers reportedly oppose. A provincial election is scheduled for October, and a PQ majority could trigger a referendum while the Liberals struggle to remain the federalist voice.

Read at The Walrus