PQ leadership candidate Jean-Francois Lisée has withdrawn from the race.
Lisée said Friday he has come to realize that it is inevitable that rival Pierre-Karl Peladeau will win the race.
"It's not that I approve," said Lisée, "but that I accept this political reality."
The former cabinet minister told his campaign's volunteers on his YouTube channel, that Peladeau is not his first choice but it's obvious that the vast majority of party members believe the multimillionaire and rookie MNA will win.
"We hope the Pierre-Karl Peladeau moment that the party desires will lead us to victory."
Meanwhile, PQ MNA Bernard Drainville officially submitted his candidacy Friday for the leadership race.
He gave in his application Friday morning with the required 2,000 signatures and a total of $10,000.
Drainville and several other candidates will participate in a debate at the Université de Montréal on Wednesday. Only Peladeau will be absent, since he leaves on a week-long tour of the regions on Sunday.
At this time, Peladeau, Drainville, Alexandre Cloutier and Martine Ouellet are the five challengers to succeed Pauline Marois as PQ leader. Author Pierre Céré has declared his intention to run but has yet to submit the required documentation. The deadline for nominations is January 30. Party members will vote to decide the contest in May.
