Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois wants leadership role with Qubec Solidaire - Action News
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Montreal

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois wants leadership role with Qubec Solidaire

The 26-year-old former student leader, who will seek the nomination in the Montreal riding of Gouin, says it's time for a new generation to take the reins of the party.

26-year-old former student leader will seek nomination in Gouin, party spokesperson position

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois announced his candidacy with Qubec Solidaire for the upcoming provincial byelection in the Montreal riding of Gouin. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

After months of speculation, Gabriel Nadeau-Duboisconfirmed Thursday he wants to takea leadership role with the small, left-wing party QubecSolidaire.

The 26 year old saidhe will seek the party nomination in Gouin, the former riding ofFranoiseDavid, as well as therole of party spokesperson.

"It's the only party where I feel at home," he said at a news conference.

"I believe that QubecSolidaire can and must become a leading political force in Quebec."

The party has made no secret of trying to recruit the charismatic figure.

David, one of the party's founders,suggested he would be a good fit for the party when she quit politics in January for health reasons.

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of the CLASSE student group, centre right, was a key figure in the 2012 student protests. He is seen here alongside Paul-mile Auger, Martine Desjardins and Lo Bureau-Blouin. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)
Nadeau-Duboissaid he wants to make the party younger, more diverse and expand beyond its base in the Montreal area.

"We have to do it together. Come work with us to change Quebec," he said.

ManonMass, the MNA for Sainte-MarieSaint-Jacques, is also seeking a position as party co-spokesperson.

Since leaving student politics,Nadeau-Duboishaspublished a book,Tenir tte, which won the 2014Governor General's Literary Award for non-fiction.

Last fall, Nadeau-Duboiswas among several other prominent progressives who held discussion forums across the province about changes they wanted to see in Quebec society.

Nadeau-Duboishas plenty of work ahead with QubecSolidaire.

The party holds only two seats at the National Assembly and finishedfourth in the 2014 provincial election, with only eight per cent of the popular vote. No date has yet been set for the byelection in Gouin.