Fortin will not seek leadership of Quebec Liberals

Fortin will not seek leadership of Quebec Liberals

This morning (June 28) Pontiac MNA André Fortin announced that he would not be seeking the leadership of Quebec’s Liberal Party.

“Tough decision, but I will not be running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Québec,” he wrote in a statement on social media. “Tough, because I sincerely believe that my party needs leadership that can go above and beyond to orchestrate its rebuild. But I believe that my two girls need a father who spends most of his time in the same town as them. This job, at this point in my life, wouldn’t allow me to do both and be the type of father I want to be.”

“The Liberal Party of Quebec is a great party that can lead Quebec forward. But to do so, it must once again offer a clear vision and build a solid organization,” he added. “I will take part in this rebuild, starting here in the Outaouais. Obviously, I remain MNA for Pontiac, the greatest of jobs, and the reason I am involved in politics in the first place.”

Fortin backed away from running for the position in 2019 during the party’s last leadership race, which saw Dominique Anglade claim the top spot. The Liberals suffered a historic defeat in the 2022 election, winning less overall votes than both Québec solidaire and the Parti Québécois. Anglade resigned as leader about a month after the election and left the Assemblée nationale in December. Marc Tanguay has served as the interim leader since November 2022.

The party has not announced a date for their next leadership contest.