Pablo Rodriguez Joins Leadership Race of Quebec Liberal Party

Pablo Rodriguez, the federal Minister of Transport, will announce his candidacy for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) this Thursday in Gatineau. This information was first reported by La Presse and later confirmed by La Presse Canadienne through a federal Liberal source who requested anonymity, as they were not authorized to speak on the matter.

To focus on his leadership campaign, Mr. Rodriguez will resign from his ministerial post. The speculation surrounding his candidacy has been widespread, with Mr. Rodriguez choosing to wait until after the by-election loss in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, where the Liberal stronghold fell to the Bloc Québécois, to confirm his decision.

The defeat in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun adds to a string of challenges faced by Justin Trudeau‘s government, which has been struggling in the polls. Following an earlier loss in Toronto–St. Paul’s in June, losing another key Liberal seat is a significant setback.

Even before officially entering the race, Pablo Rodriguez received support from provincial Liberal MNA Désirée McGraw. His entry into the leadership race marks a shift for the PLQ as they prepare for a leadership contest set to officially begin in 2025, with the new leader to be announced on June 14 of that year.

The PLQ faces several challenges, including low support in opinion polls, a dwindling base among francophone voters, and the need to rejuvenate its appeal to younger voters and rural regions in the province. The party has been under interim leadership by MNA Marc Tanguay following Dominique Anglade’s resignation in November 2022, after the party’s historically poor performance in the election.