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Quebec Conservative leader to seek vacant Arthabaska seat in eventual byelection

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • May 4, 2025

Quebec Conservative Leader Eric Duhaime waves to supporters at a rally where he announced he will be candidate in the Arthabaska riding byelection on Sunday, May 4, 2025 in Victoriaville, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

VICTORIAVILLE -- The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec has formally announced his intention to seek a seat in the legislature by running in the riding of Arthabaska when a yelection is eventually called.

Eric Duhaime made the announcement during a speech on Sunday afternoon.

The Arthabaska riding in central Quebec has been vacant since the March resignation of Eric Lefebvre, an Independent who had previously left the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec to run in the recent federal election. He won the riding of Richmond-Arthabaska for the Conservatives, one of 11 seats the party claimed in the province.

Duhaime's Conservatives did not win any seats in the 2022 provincial campaign despite the party capturing more than 530,000 votes and growing their share of the popular vote to nearly 13 per cent.

Duhaime lost his own attempt to capture the Quebec City area riding of Chauveau in 2022, finishing second to Coalition Avenir Quebec.

Poll aggregator Qc125 predicts a very close three-way race in Arthabaska between the Coalition Avenir Quebec, Parti Quebecois, and Duhaime's party.

Premier Francois Legault has not yet called a byelection, which must come within the next six months.

This report by was first published May 4, 2025.