Gilles Duceppe has, once again, stepped down as leader of the Bloc Quebecois.

"I leave with the sense that I have accomplished much," said Duceppe.

"This last campaign was one of the best, if not the best," he said.

Duceppe failed to win in his Montreal riding of Laurier-Sainte Marie in the federal election Monday.

It was a result that mirrored the outcome of the 2011 election, when the Orange Wave wiped the Bloc off of the electoral map in Quebec.

When NDP candidate Helene Laverdiere won in Laurier-Sainte Marie in 2011, Duceppe left politics. He returned to the BQ’s helm earlier this year in an apparent bid to bolster the Bloc's numbers, but lost again to Laverdiere.

The Bloc, however, did make some gains: it won four seats in the 2011 election, had two seats at dissolution and won in 10 ridings Monday. However the overall support for the party has dropped, and at 19.3 percent, had its lowest share of voter support since its creation.

Duceppe said that despite the loss, he had enjoyed being "the spearhead" of the sovereignty movement and was confident that one day his dream would be achieved. 

"We are a nation, no better or worse than any other. Just different," he said. 

"The number of young people among on candidates and our supporters... lends me much joy," said Duceppe.

"I have been able to make multiple tours of Quebec and to meet many supporters."

Duceppe said that under his leadership the Bloc was always inclusive -- glossing over the fact that last year, before he resumed leadership of the Bloc, Maria Mourani was tossed out of the party for questioning the Parti Quebecois's anti-religious Charter of Values.

"We represented Quebec with rigour and dignity," he said.

Duceppe originally stepped down as leader of the Bloc four years ago when he lost his seat. The Bloc went through several leaders, including Mario Beaulieu, before Duceppe was asked to pick up the mantle once again four months ago.

Rheal Fortin, who was elected in the Riviere du Nord riding in the Laurentians, will be interim leader of the party.

Black Thursday

Political analyst Jean Lapierre said the sovereignty movement will remember this day with regret, since it also sees the resignation of Parti Quebecois MNA Stephane Bedard.

"In the case of Gilles Duceppe it's three failures. He's lost his riding again... and with only ten seats the Bloc does not have official party recognition, and the lowest voter support since the 1970s" said Lapierre.

With the end of the per-vote subsidy, Lapierre said that for the first time the Bloc will have to develop its fundraising capabilities, and it will end up competing directly with the Parti Quebecois.

Considering the sheer number of Liberal MPs in Quebec, and the dozen Conservative MPs from the province as well, he thinks the Bloc will have a difficult time getting

"I don't think they'll have much visibility. It's the beginning of the end for the Bloc."

Lapierre also says that former Quebec premier Jean Charest is not interested in leading the federal Conservatives.

Charest was first elected as an MNA in 1998 and became premier of Quebec in 2003. But before jumping into provincial politics, Charest served as an MP as part of the now-defunct Progressive Conservative Party, even serving as deputy prime minister for a time.