Editing Parti Québécois (section)

===Third place===
The PQ was unable to maintain the momentum it briefly had under Boisclair, and in the [[2007 Quebec general election|2007 provincial election]], the party fell to 36 seats and behind the conservative [[Action démocratique du Québec]] (ADQ) in number of seats and the popular vote: this was the first time since 1973 that the party did not form the government or the [[Official Opposition (Canada)|Official Opposition]]. Boisclair said that the voters clearly did not support a strategy of a rapid referendum in the first mandate of a PQ government. Instead of a policy convention following the election, the party held a presidents' council.  The party caucus in the provincial legislative assembly was said to have supported Boisclair continuing as leader.

On 8 May 2007, Boisclair announced his resignation as leader of the PQ.<ref name="boisclair-resignation">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/world/europe/08cnd-quebec.html?ex=1179288000&en=010441e320466698&ei=5070 | title=Quebec Separatist Leader Resigns | access-date=9 May 2007 | date=8 May 2007 | work=The New York Times | first=Christopher | last=Mason}}</ref> This was effective immediately, although Boisclair confirmed he would remain within the PQ caucus for the time being. He was replaced by veteran MNA [[François Gendron]], pending a leadership race and convention.
[[File:Pauline Marois Quebec-3 Sept 2012-7.JPG|thumb|right|Former PQ leader Pauline Marois greets voters in Quebec City on the eve of the 2012 general election.]]

Former Bloc Québécois leader [[Gilles Duceppe]] was the first to announce his intention to run for party leadership, on 11 May 2007. He was followed the same day by [[Pauline Marois]]. In a surprise move, Duceppe withdrew on the 12th&nbsp;– leaving Marois the only declared candidate.  No other candidates came forward, and on 26 June 2007, Marois won the leadership by [[Acclamation#Uncontested_election|acclamation]].

In June 2011, the party was shaken when four of its most prominent MNAs — popular actor [[Pierre Curzi]], former cabinet minister [[Louise Beaudoin]], and [[Lisette Lapointe]], the wife of former premier [[Jacques Parizeau]], and [[Jean-Martin Aussant]] — quit the party to sit as [[independent (politics)|independents]].  They disagreed with Marois's support for a bill changing the law to permit an agreement between the [[Quebec City|City of Québec]] and [[Quebecor]] Inc. concerning the management of the new sports and entertainment complex in Quebec City.<ref name="resignation">{{cite news|title=PQ left reeling after three top members of Quebec sovereigntist party quit |url=http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=DOR-MNN-CP.8ad03e57162c461f97c54389d18b54c2.CPKEY2008111303&newsitemid=7067934&languageid=1 |access-date=6 June 2011 |newspaper=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=6 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721172218/http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?filename=DOR-MNN-CP.8ad03e57162c461f97c54389d18b54c2.CPKEY2008111303&newsitemid=7067934&languageid=1 |archive-date=21 July 2011 }}</ref> Unrest continued later in the month when a fifth MNA, [[Benoit Charette]], also quit, citing his dissatisfaction with the party's sole focus being sovereignty. Beaudoin rejoined the PQ caucus in 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://montrealgazette.com/news/a9cois+leader+Pauline+Marois+welcomes+Louise+Beaudoin+back+into+fold/6404018/story.html |title=Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois welcomes MNA Louise Beaudoin back into the fold |date=3 April 2012 |newspaper=[[Montreal Gazette]] |author=Philip Authier |access-date=3 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405232620/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/a9cois%2Bleader%2BPauline%2BMarois%2Bwelcomes%2BLouise%2BBeaudoin%2Bback%2Binto%2Bfold/6404018/story.html |archive-date=5 April 2012 }}</ref>