Voters residing in Chicoutimi are gearing up for an upcoming byelection scheduled for February 23. The seat in the National Assembly became vacant in September when Andrée Laforest resigned to pursue a mayoral candidacy in Saguenay, which was not successful. The byelection in Chicoutimi was announced shortly after François Legault’s decision to step down as the premier of Quebec and the leader of Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), the party he established.
The CAQ has faced challenges in recent byelections, losing three consecutive contests in ridings it previously held after the last provincial election. The Jean-Talon riding in Quebec City, the Terrebonne riding north of Montreal, and the Arthabaska riding in the Centre-du-Québec region all shifted to the Parti Québécois, making it the frontrunner to potentially lead the next provincial government.
Candidates vying for the Chicoutimi byelection include Francis Tremblay from the Coalition Avenir Québec, Tricia Murray from the Quebec Liberal Party, Marie-Karlynn Laflamme from the Parti Québécois, Jeanne Palardy representing Québec Solidaire, Catherine Morissette from the Conservative Party of Quebec, and Olivier Dion from Climat Québec.
