Achi news desk-
The Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) has released details of its leadership race, which will be launched in January 2025, with the goal of electing a new leader on June 14 of that year.
It was already known that a new leader would not be elected until 2025, although some liberal activists worked hard to bring the timetable forward.
However, on Friday more details were released about the timing of the race and the rules of the leadership race that will guide the candidates. The race will officially launch on January 13th, and candidates will have until April 11th to officially submit their documents.
Aspiring candidates will have to provide signatures of 750 members, spread across 70 ridings and 12 regions. Of these, at least 350 must be new members.
A $40,000 deposit is also required to become an official candidate. Spending for the race was capped at $400,000 – and that figure includes amounts spent before the race began.
After the nomination period ends, there will be four hearings between April 12 and June 8. One of these discussions will take place in western Quebec and will be in English.
Members will then have six days, from June 9 to 14, to vote by phone or online for the next leader.
The winner will be announced at the Leadership Conference on June 14, 2025.
The voting process will be based on awarding points, weighted by constituency and age group. At the end of the preferential voting, a leader will be chosen if he obtains 50 percent +1 of the points, if there is no second round.
Two candidates in the exam
For now, Frédéric Beauchamp, the MNA for Marguerite-Bourgeois, and former Montreal mayor Denis Coudre have expressed interest in running.
Several names are being floated as potential candidates, including the federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, and the president and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Charles Milliard.
Last month, Joel Lightbound, MP for Louis-Hebert, officially declined to take up the challenge, citing family reasons. His name joins those of Liberal MNAs Monsef Draghi, Andre Fortin and Marva Risky, who have also hinted they might jump in before the door closes. The interim Liberal leader, Mark Tanguay, also stated that he would not seek the leadership.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 19, 2024.
