The party made the announcement Thursday noon, a few days after the resounding resignation of co-spokesperson Émilise Lessard-Therrien.
Incidentally, Ms. Labrie had taken part in the race to become female co−spokesperson for the party, but she finished third and was eliminated in the first round, last November, against Ms. Lessard−Therrien and Ruba Ghazal.
“I accept this mandate with humility and a great sense of responsibility. This appointment demonstrates the confidence my party places in me and I take it very seriously. I feel that Québec solidaire is at a turning point in its history and that our ability to get through this critical period will be decisive for the future. I want to participate in making the solidarity project a reality. This is the reason why I agreed to take on this interim role,” declared Christine Labrie, interim solidarity co-spokesperson and MP for Sherbrooke.
Ms. Labrie will therefore team up with Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois in the two-headed female-male leadership of the party, until a female spokesperson is officially elected.
“I am delighted that Christine is joining me to speak out for Québec solidaire. Since her election in Sherbrooke in 2018, she has stood out as a rigorous MP, close to her world and who has the common good at heart. People came to know her through her collegial and human approach to politics. Christine already has an essential voice that will carry even further. This is excellent news for Québec solidaire and for Quebec,” rejoiced Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire.
Remember that on Monday, Ms. Lessard−Therrien announced that she would not return from her sick leave and that she was resigning after a few months in office. She silently criticized the influence of Mr. Nadeau−Dubois’s small team on the party’s leadership.
The departure of the co-spokesperson caused a storm in the left party, which led Mr. Nadeau-Dubois to begin thinking about his future.
On Wednesday afternoon, he counterattacked by presenting a sort of ultimatum to the party members: the program must be lightened and the statutes reformed so that QS “becomes a government party”.
“Christine already embodies positive and unifying leadership at Québec solidaire and members got to know her better during the race in 2023. She will play an essential role in the coming months to support our organization in this difficult period. She is an inspiring woman who has the organization at heart, the National Coordinating Committee looks forward to working with her to grow the party in the coming months,” added Roxane Milot, president of Québec solidaire .
