Québec Solidaire's New Party-Movement Model: Stronger Organizational Power at the Cost of Deeper Democracy and Structural Power

• Published in: Alternate routes Vol. 34; no. 1; p. 17
• Main Authors: Pépin, Christian, Laurin-Lamothe, Audrey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Athabasca Athabasca University 01-01-2024
• Subjects: Activism; Capitalism; Democracy; Elections; Grass roots movement; Militancy; Mobilization; Organizational power; Political parties; Postcapitalism; Radicalism; Social movements
• ISSN: 0702-8865; 1923-7081

Based on semi-directed interviews, this paper analyzes the recent changes in the political strategy of Québec Solidaire, characterized by a shift from a so-called "party of the ballots and the streets" to a new "party-movement". With the help of party-based campaigns between elections, this organizational model aims to expand the level of popular mobilization by facilitating the activism of party members and sympathizers through decentralized and easily accessible resources available on a digital platform. In addition, the proponents of this "party-movement" consider it a powerful means to radicalize social struggles beyond the weaknesses of certain social movements. Conversely, other interviewees see this party form as developing a new parallel structure that shortcuts the party's internal democratic structures and grassroots militant networks. We argue that QS's party-movement model may at best develop a strong organizational power but rooted in a weak structural power, thus risking being unable to alter the existing balance of class forces for wining bold reforms and implementing a post-capitalist transition in spite of capital's opposition.