Denis Coderre, who attempted to return as Mayor of Montreal after serving from 2013 to 2017, has decided to withdraw permanently from political life after his decisive loss to Mayor Valérie Plante.
Coderre made his announcement Friday afternoon following a meeting, and a new leader will be announced in a few weeks. The former candidate had kept a low profile in recent days, something pointed out by Plante herself.
Coderre could have sat as a member of Montreal council, as his council co-lister had won Nov. 7.
“I gave 40 years of my life, and I took time to reflect,” an emotional Coderre said, referring to also having served as a federal MP and minister. “It was pretty hard…..We contributed to the rebirth of Montreal after all this corrupt situation at the time. What I’m really proud of is this team.”
The former mayor also told the media that low voter turnout, about 38 percent, was a factor in his decision, and that he has other plans for the coming years, including spending more time with his family.
Plante, reacting to Coderre’s announcement, said her opponent “has Montreal’s interests at heart. Our administration will offer its full collaboration to the person who will be designated by Ensemble Montréal to occupy the important position of leader of the official opposition.”
Plante’s margin of victory was seen as a surprise, as the two were tied in polls for much of the campaign. But a Mainstreet poll close to election day had Plante at 46 percent and Coderre at 40. Plante’s margin of victory was even larger than that, 52 to 38 percent.
