QUEBEC CITY -- Premier François Legault questioned the election of Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in the middle of question period in the Blue Room Tuesday.

"If tomorrow morning there was an election in Camille-Laurin without a flyer stolen from the Parti Québécois, would the MNA for Camille-Laurin be the MNA who is here before us today?" Legault said.

The Québec Solidaire (QS) candidate, Marie-Eve Rancourt, was eliminated from the race in the riding after being filmed stealing a PQ flyer. St-Pierre Plamondon won the seat with a 2,800-vote lead over the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) candidate Richard Campeau.

François Legault was stung by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon's question: "Will the premier acknowledge that the 2022 election, particularly in Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches, was made on the basis of false representations?" St-Pierre Plamondon said.

The PQ leader was referring to the CAQ's retreat on the third link, a promise the party hammered home in the previous election.

PQ MNA Pascal Bérubé defended his leader: "The MNA for Camille-Laurin was elected correctly, recognized by his constituents. He sits in this House with full legitimacy. We cannot question that," he said.

The government House leader, Simon Jolin-Barrette, also jumped into the fray: "From the moment the member for Camille-Laurin makes the comments he makes in the House, he cannot think that he will not also be attacked. Let him show some respect, especially for the premier," he retorted.

On Twitter, St-Pierre Plamondon denounced "a personal attack of an unprecedented lowliness" from Legault.

"This attempt to diminish me will not prevent me from doing my job," he wrote.

"The comments made by François Legault in the Salon bleu regarding the legitimacy of the election of the leader of the Parti Québécois, @PaulPlamondon, are unworthy," wrote Interim Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay.

"The premier descended to a low point this afternoon by attacking the legitimacy of @PaulPlamondon. It is unworthy of his office," tweeted Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, the QS Parliamentary Leader.

"Instead of attacking everyone, let him be accountable."

The third link gave rise to heated exchanges between the government and the opposition parties during question period.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 25, 2023.