Québec solidaire members stunned by Vincent Marissal’s abrupt departure

The left-wing Québec solidaire party is reeling from the abrupt departure over the weekend of a legislature member who had been flirting with the Parti Québécois.

Vincent Marissal announced on Saturday he was leaving Québec solidaire, shortly after the party voted to suspend him from caucus for having talks with PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.

Québec solidaire legislature member Alexandre Leduc said today he’s stunned by Marissal’s departure and doesn’t recognize who his former colleague has become.

In lengthy messages on social media, fellow party members Guillaume Cliche-Rivard and Étienne Grandmont said they felt betrayed.

Marissal has said he was leaving Québec solidaire in part because of the staunchly pro-union position it adopted during the recent Montreal public transit strike.

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But Leduc accused his former colleague of flip-flopping, pointing out that Marissal in June voted against provincial legislation limiting the right to strike.

Marissal is now an Independent, leaving Québec solidaire with 11 seats in the legislature.