Bloc Québécois
|
|
---|---|
Leader | Rhéal Fortin (interim) |
President | Mario Beaulieu |
Vice President | Annie Lessard |
Founded | 15 June 1991 |
Split from |
Progressive Conservatives, Liberals |
Headquarters |
3750, boulevard Crémazie Est Suite 502 Montreal, Quebec H2A 1B6 |
Youth wing | Forum jeunesse du Bloc Québécois |
Membership | 19,000 |
Ideology |
Quebec nationalism Quebec sovereigntism Social democracy |
Political position | Centre-left |
Colours | Light blue |
Seats in the House of Commons |
10 / 338
|
Seats in the Senate |
0 / 105
|
Provincial Premiers |
0 / 10
|
Seats in Provincial legislatures |
30 / 649
|
Territorial Premiers |
0 / 3
|
Seats in Territorial legislatures |
0 / 60
|
Website | |
www |
|
The Bloc Québécois (BQ) (French pronunciation: [blɔk kebekwa]) is a federal political party in Canada devoted to Quebec nationalism and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was formed by Members of Parliament who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative Party and Liberal Party during the collapse of the Meech Lake Accord. Founder Lucien Bouchard was a cabinet minister in the federal Progressive Conservative government of Brian Mulroney.
The party seeks to create the conditions necessary for the political secession of Quebec from Canada and campaigns actively only within the province during federal elections. The party has been described as social-democratic and separatist.
The Bloc was the largest party in Quebec, and either the second or third largest party in the House of Commons, for seven straight federal elections, from the 1993 election until 2011. The 2011 election saw the party win four seats and lose official party status after a wave of support for the New Democratic Party. By 2014 the party had been reduced to two seats because of resignations and expulsions. In the 2015 federal election, the Bloc won 10 seats in the House of Commons, even though the party's leader Gilles Duceppe failed to win a seat.