Manon Massé to be face of Québec Solidaire's election campaign
Montreal MNA would be premier if the party pulls off an upset this fall
Québec Solidaire MNA Manon Massé will be her party's candidate for premier in this fall's provincial election.
The small left-wing party eschews the leadership model adopted by most political parties, opting instead for two spokespeople, one male and one female. Massé fulfills that role along with fellow MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
But parliamentary convention holds only one person can serve as premier, the leader of the party with the largest number of seats in the legislature.
On Monday, QS announced Massé, a former community organizer and women's rights activist, would be its choice for premier, should it manage to win the next election.
In more practical terms, it means Massé will represent the party during leadership debates. The party only holds three seats in the National Assembly and is currently polling around 10 per cent.
"The system in place puts the interests of the political and economic class before everything," Massé said at a news conference in Montreal.
"We need an electric shock and I am proposing to Quebecers to be that electric shock."
There had been speculation that Nadeau-Dubois, who rose to prominence as a student union leader during the student protests of 2012 and became party co-spokesperson last May, would seek the premier's role.
But Nadeau-Dubois said his co-spokesperson better embodied Quebecers' desire for change.
"Recent events show us that Quebecers want authentic political figures, who break the traditional image of politicians," Nadeau-Dubois said. "Manon is an incarnation of authenticity in politics."
Nadeau-Dubois will serve as the party's chief organizer for the election campaign. The decision to put Massé forward as the party's choice for premier will have to be confirmed by QS members at a meeting in May.
Last week, Haroun Bouazzi — a prominent anti-racism activist — announced he would seek the party's nomination to run in Maurice-Richard, a north-end Montreal riding formerly known as Crémazie.
The next election is currently scheduled for Oct. 1.