Sol Zanetti won his bid this weekend to succeed Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois as co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, and acknowledged the “steep slope” ahead for the leftist party.
A fervent separatist, the representative for the Jean-Lesage riding triumphed Saturday over his Taschereau colleague, Etienne Grandmont, as well as former party candidate Yv Bonnier Viger, garnering 50.4 per cent of the vote in the first round. He will share the leadership role with Ruba Ghazal.
Zanetti was supported during the campaign by several former legislators from his party but not by current members of his caucus, who preferred Grandmont.
Zanetti, an erstwhile philosophy professor, told some 400 activists at his victory speech in Quebec City that the threat of authoritarianism around the globe makes action all the more urgent.
He also stressed the need to reconnect with what he called Quebec’s “heritage as dreamers,” including his vision of seeing the province become a country.
Québec solidaire is lagging in the polls as it seeks to revive its political fortunes ahead of a provincial election next year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2025.
