Sylvain Gaudreault chosen Parti Qubcois' interim leader

SylvainGaudreaulthas been chosen as the interim leader of thePartiQubcois, followingPierre KarlPladeau'ssudden resignation earlier this week.

The announcement was made after a caucus meeting in a Quebec City hotel that lasted several hours.

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"It is with a lot of pride, but also a great sense of responsibility that I accept this important mandate that was entrusted to me by my colleagues,"Gaudreaultsaid.

Gaudreault, former transportationministerand current MNA forJonquire,was vying for the interim position with current PQ deputy house leaderAgnsMaltais.

He is expected to take part in a meeting Friday night with party officials to discuss details of how a permanent successor toPladeauwill be chosen.

Secret talks

Heading into the caucus meeting, several MNA were still in shock overPladeau'ssurprise announcement on Monday that he was stepping down for family reasons.

"We're still shockedit's difficult to believe what happenedon Monday," PQ house leader BernardDrainvillesaid.

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"We've been through ups and downs and we've always come out of it and we've been able to maintain our cohesiveness as a group, our efficiency as a group."

The caucus meeting was the first time PQ MNAs had met together since finding themselves leaderless.

With rumours of an internal riff emerging over who would take up the interim leadership,MNAs were asked to leave their smartphones at the door, in order to keep the discussions confidential.

Race for top job

Meanwhile, the more important decision, who will lead the party into the next election,looms in the shadows.

On their way into today's meeting at the hotel Le Bonne Entente in Quebec City, most MNAs expressed a desire for a shorter leadership race, as opposed to the long one they recently endured, or a coronation, which many feel would be undemocratic.

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MNAs Vronique Hivon and Alexandre Cloutier appear to be top contenders for the position.

Cloutier told reporters on Friday that he had made his decision, but would wait before making it public.

Jean-Francois Lise and Martine Ouellethave confirmed they are thinking about jumping in too.

Bernard Drainville confirmed Friday afternoon that he will not running for the leadership.