Former PQ minister Yves-François Blanchet named Bloc Québécois leader

The Bloc Québécois has a new leader.

Former Parti Québécois (PQ) cabinet minister Yves-François Blanchet was named to the party’s top spot early Thursday morning after no other candidate came forward.

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Blanchet, 53, served as environment minister under Pauline Marois between 2012 and 2014 and subsequently was a regular on a public affairs TV show.

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He previously worked in the music world, where he managed Quebec singer Éric Lapointe and served as president of a provincial music industry association.

Blanchet issued a statement on the party’s website promising to tirelessly promote Quebec independence and to “win Quebec and win for Quebec.”

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The Bloc Québécois has been leaderless since June, when former leader Martine Ouellet stepped down after a tumultuous reign that saw seven of the party’s 10 MPs resign from caucus. All seven have since returned.