Karl Blackburn announces he will not run for PLQ leadership

Karl Blackburn is giving up on seeking leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) again.

The former president of the employers’ council made the announcement Friday afternoon. In recent days, however, he had expressed interest in being part of a possible future race.

“I have professional projects that have excited me for several months. I have, of course, my family. (…) I decided to let this opportunity go,” he explained on RDI.

“At the same time, I am extending an invitation to activists, to Quebecers, to come together. The PLQ must unite, come together, to face the next general election united,” he added.

As a reminder, the Liberals are looking for a new leader, following the resignation this week of Pablo Rodriguez amid allegations related to the financing of his leadership campaign.

Charles Milliard, who finished second behind Rodriguez in the last race, is currently considering his options.

While awaiting the choice of its next leader, the PLQ is once again entrusting the role of interim leader to the member for LaFontaine, Marc Tanguay.

Tanguay therefore resumes the position he had held in the long interval between the departure of Dominique Anglade, in November 2022, and the election of Pablo Rodriguez, last June.

According to the president of the PLQ, Rafael P. Ferraro, Tanguay is a “respected member of parliament and recognized leader” within the Liberal caucus.

In a statement, he stressed that Tanguay’s sense of responsibility makes him “the right person to ensure stability and prepare the future of the PLQ with seriousness and responsibility.”

For his part, Tanguay thanked his caucus colleagues and the members of the party’s executive council for their confidence. He argued that the PLQ must “regain its capacity for action and embody progress.”

Tanguay has been a member of the National Assembly since 2012.

His new term as interim leader will necessarily be shorter than the previous one, as the PLQ will have to choose its new leader quickly if it wants to be ready for the October 2026 elections.

Little is known at this time about the process that will lead to the selection of the new leader. The party’s executive council is expected to meet “in the coming days” to determine the next steps.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews