2014 Bloc Québécois leadership election

Timeline

• May 2, 2011: Federal election reduces the Bloc Québécois to 4 seats in the House of Commons. Party leader Gilles Duceppe loses his own riding in Laurier—Sainte-Marie and announces his resignation.
• December 11, 2011: Daniel Paillé is elected leader at the party's 2011 leadership election.
• February 27, 2013: Jonquière—Alma MP Claude Patry leaves the New Democratic Party caucus to join the Bloc Québécois.
• September 12, 2013: Ahuntsic MP Maria Mourani is expelled from the Bloc Québécois caucus due to comments against the provincial Parti Québécois government's proposed Quebec Charter of Values.
• December 16, 2013: Paillé resigns the leadership and presidency due to health concerns. Richmond—Arthabaska MP André Bellavance is named interim parliamentary leader, and vice-president Annie Lessard is named the interim president.
• February 22, 2014: André Bellavance announces his candidacy.
• February 26, 2014: André Bellavance resigns as parliamentary leader, and Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia MP Jean-François Fortin is named interim parliamentary leader.
• April 8, 2014: Official start to the leadership race.
• May 7, 2014: Last date for candidates to submit $15,000 entry fee and for candidates to file a nomination form signed by a total of at least 1,000 party members from across at least 25 ridings.
• May 15, 2014: Deadline for membership and renewals.
• May 24, 2014: Candidates debate during BQ policy convention in Rimouski.
• June 11–13, 2014: Party members vote by telephone.
• June 14, 2014: The winner of the leadership election announced.
• June 23–25, 2014: The party holds a convention in Rimouski, where the new leader officially assumes the leadership of the party.

  Official candidates

Mario Beaulieu">Mario Beaulieu (politician)">Mario Beaulieu

• Leader of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

• Prominent supporters: Bernard Landry, former Premier of Quebec; Djemila Benhabib, essayist and former Parti Québécois candidate; Lucie Laurier, actress; national executive of the Forum jeunesse du Bloc Québécois ; Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc youth wing president; Yves Beauchemin, author

  [André Bellavance]

• MP for Richmond—Arthabaska
• Leader of the party in the House of Commons

• MPs: Jean-François Fortin, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia; Claude Patry, Jonquière—Alma; Louis Plamondon, Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour
• Former MPs: Daniel Turp
• Others: Vivian Barbot, former president of the party; and some 30 former Bloc MPs

  Declined

• Pierre Curzi, former MNA for Borduas
• Gilles Duceppe, former MP for Laurier—Sainte-Marie and Bloc Québécois leader
• Pierre Duchesne, former Quebec Minister of Higher Education and MNA for Borduas
• Jean-François Fortin, MP for Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia
• Bernard Landry, former Premier of Quebec
• Pierre Paquette, former MP for Joliette
• Daniel Turp, former MP for Beauharnois—Salaberry and MNA for Mercier.

  Results