PLQ leadership race | Frédéric Beauchemin joins forces with Pablo Rodriguez

(Quebec) Drama in the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ): candidate and MP Frédéric Beauchemin joins the favorite according to the polls, Pablo Rodriguez, has learned The Press.

The announcement will take place on Monday, the day of the official launch of the race to succeed Dominique Anglade.

Mr. Beauchemin made his decision known to members of his team in recent days. He will return Sunday from a trip to Asia.

Frédéric Beauchemin was the only caucus member in the leadership race. He had shown his interest in the chieftaincy shortly after the departure of Dominique Anglade in November 2022. He officially announced his candidacy last September. He had obtained the support of his colleague MP Sona Lakhoyan Olivier (Chomedey) but also of some former ministers, including Carlos Leitão (of Finance under Philippe Couillard). He made budgetary rigor his main campaign theme.

His rallying behind Pablo Rodriguez is surprising given that, as recently as November, he had fired arrows at Justin Trudeau’s former minister on the subject of budgetary discipline. Federal Liberals like Mr. Rodriguez “spent like drunken sailors,” he accused. He added that the “credibility of the federal government to manage public finances is not very good.”

Another example: Mr. Beauchemin spoke in favor of a third highway between Quebec and Lévis, while Mr. Rodriguez favors a tunnel reserved for public transport – the solution recommended by the Caisse de dépôt et placement.

Frédéric Beauchemin had to fight against a lack of notoriety in the leadership race. His rapid rallying to the favorite will allow him to hope for a place of choice in Mr. Rodriguez’s entourage, we analyze at the PLQ. His decision is not unanimous, since some fear that the PLQ is too associated with the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC) with Pablo Rodriguez.

The PLQ leadership race risks finding itself in the shadow of that of the PLC. This is without taking into account that the upcoming federal elections this spring will also cast a shadow over him. Other events will have the same effect: the official inauguration of Donald Trump as American president, which portends eventful months ahead, the upcoming by-elections in Terrebonne and Arthabaska, where the PLQ’s chances are slim, the filing of the next budget, which will significantly curb spending in ministries, and the electoral pre-campaigns at the municipal level.

The new leader of the PLQ will be elected on June 14.

Elected for the first time in Marguerite-Bourgeoys (Montreal) in 2022, Frédéric Beauchemin is a former director of Scotiabank.