In 2018, QS benefited from the biggest boost in its history, with the election of regional deputies and a percentage of votes that had doubled. Since then, whether in its rebel version with or without Catherine Dorion, the left party has stagnated and been overtaken by the PQ.
In his book hot headsthe artist and ex-Taschereau deputy says that the party team in Parliament, headed by Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, clipped her wings accusing her of taking up too much media space and not playing as a team.
Beyond the aspect of settling accounts, it is undeniable that two visions of Quebec solidaire clashed.
The punk version of Catherine Dorion, and the softened version of GND, which sought to professionalize the party.
The uncompromising attitude of the MP who had become a media darling might have been attractive, but it seemed to backfire on the party, if we are to trust the polls of the moment.
While the elect made headlines with his boots Dr. Martens or his hoodies in parliament, his comparison of the third link to a coke line, the party lost its feathers.
Inside the parliamentary wing, it was whispered that the divisive escapades were becoming harmful.
In her book, Catherine Dorion accuses the media of being more interested in “cheap scandals” than the real problems.
On the other hand, he celebrates the impact of his releases and the impact of his videos uploaded on social networks.
Then, to the co-spokespersons who told him that his behavior overshadowed the messages the party was sending, he replied in his work that “the basic arguments (…) we have repeated even in the media and in intellectual circles intellectuals (…) We are now at the stage of leaving these circles and taking the sap outside (…) of awakening courage and irreverence.
His approach betrays a paradox, regarding the form or content to favor.
Not better after that
Having said that, GND found himself completely in the driver’s seat, becoming a parliamentary leader.
Catherine Dorion was no longer there for the next election campaign and the party scored one point less than in 2018.
The co-spokesman gnashed his teeth over a proposed thousands of dollar surcharge on family vans in particular.
Even today, QS is paying for this bad campaign.
GND made the cost of living the main topic of the autumn session, but François Legault constantly refers to his “orange taxes”.
There’s more to it than that.
questioning
In the eyes of some solidarity activists, Nadeau-Dubois seems too conventional, compared to what Amir Khadir and Manon Massé represented.
The choice to keep the party’s ads on Facebook during the Jean-Talon election, while the giant Meta blocks local media content, was in perfect contradiction to the spirit of solidarity.
“Yes, we feel the members’ dissatisfaction with the recent decisions,” admits a party source.
Catherine Dorion’s book sounds like a warning and is an advantage for GND just before the congress where a male co-spokesman will be re-elected.
The timing of its publication would have been chosen based on the Montreal Book Fair, but reading it, some will question whether the party has the right directors, while support steadily stagnates around the 15%
There is still time before 2026, but QS still appears to be facing a generational wall, with only 3% in favor of those aged 55 and over.
Moving your roof will be quite a challenge.
