Quebec: April 7, 2014

[Cassius]

So, a question. Are the CAQ the party of, well, conservative or right-leaning voters? I'm aware that they're partially descended from the ADQ, which, according to my reading on it, was a fairly right wing party. I'm just curious, as they seem a little vague when it comes to their political positions (I may be wrong).

[Cassius]

Sorry to be bothersome with rather simplistic questions (unfortunately, the remnants of GCSE French aren't enough for me to be able to properly decipher French language articles ), but what are the reasons for the PQ's seeming collapse, especially since (as far as I'm aware) they were in the lead at the start of the campaign. I know (think) the furore over this 'charter of values' is one, but are there others?

[Cassius]

Peladeau's sovereignty fist-pump flash polarized the electorate along sovereigntist/federalist lines, when we Quebecers are strongly opposed to another referendum. Soft nationalists bolted to the CAQ and Liberals while left-wing sovereigntists disappointed at the PQ's rightward drift went QS. Once Plan A vaporized they had nothing left and made it up as they went along, becoming increasingly paranoid and desperate. The initial strategy was sound, execution completely blown.

Thanks. Quebec politics is quite confusing (and yet so interesting) to me, being used to the good old 'centre- left party, liberal party, centre-right party' political split that I'm more familiar with.

So, yeah, this was basically a snap election call gone horribly awry...

[Cassius]

Apparently an Angus Reid poll has the Liberals at 39, the PQ at 27 and the CAQ at 25. Could the CAQ actually do rather well for itself?

[Cassius]

Fo' da lulz, a prediction with no grounding in data or in knowledge of the electoral situation in the ridings.

PLQ: 67 seats, 38 percent
PQ: 46 seats, 27 percent
CAQ: 10 seats, 22 percent
QS: 2 seats, 10 percent

[Cassius]

I may have missed some prediction that put the CAQ higher than 10-15 seats, but, in any case, what does this election mean for it; I mean, to have gone from semi-annihilation in the polls to actually gaining seats (if not votes) is actually a rather decent feet, all things considered.