Author: The Record
Published May 5, 2024

Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin answers reporters’ questions after stepping down as head of the Sherbrooke Citoyen party and announcing she will not seek re-election as mayor in 2025

Beaudin steps down as head of Sherbrooke Citoyen party, will not seek re-election for mayor

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin announced May 3 her decision not to seek re-election in the November 2025 municipal elections. She intends to complete her current term to fulfill commitments made to the citizens of Sherbrooke.

Concurrently, she will resign from her position as leader of the Sherbrooke Citoyen party. The interim leadership of the party will be assumed by councillor Geneviève La Roche until a new party leader is elected.

Surrounded by reporters and backed by Citoyen elected officials at City Hall, Beaudin expressed her dedication to founding a new political party and to the profound reform of municipal governance, stating her belief in her suitability for the tasks she undertook during her term.

She mentioned that it seemed prudent to make way for a new mayor who can bring different talents and strengths, as well as a fresh approach to meet the evolving needs of the city. She remains confident and committed to honoring her avowed obligations to the populace until the end of her term in November 2025.

Beaudin also advocated for a thorough and expanded reflection on local democracy and reiterated the need for a consultation commission throughout Quebec to lay the groundwork for reforming local democratic institutions.

Responding to reporters after the announcement, Beaudin said she was primarily feeling a sense of accomplishment. She admitted recent political difficulties have “left a mark” on her. Her decision to stay on as mayor until the next election is all part of the original four-year plan her party devised at the beginning of her mandate.

While she feels good and full of energy at the moment, she does not see herself as able to put in another four years after her mandate ends. In addition, she is unsure what the political context surrounding her party will be around the time of re-election.

She thanked those who voted for her “from the bottom of her heart.” It is not time to say goodbye, she said, for 18 months still remain in her term.

“Politics will remain politics,” she responded to a reporter asking if this decision would “lower the tension” in city hall. She thinks tensions will rise, as is normal, with the approach of the next elections.

She hopes the media will turn their attention in the next few months to the leadership election for head of the Citoyen party. She feels she still has the support of Sherbrooke citizens, with many residents expressing it to her in person.

The Record asked if her decision had anything to do with recent high-level resignations and the criticism of Beaudin from some of Sherbrooke independent elected officials. “No,” she responded.

Councillor Danielle Berthold recently resigned as chair of the city executive committee following a phone call from Beaudin, which Berthold interpreted as threatening. During the call on April 8, after Berthold informed Beaudin of her intent to vote against the pool tax, Berthold said Beaudin emphasized the importance of unity in the committee and warned of consequences for dissent.

Several independent members of Sherbrooke city council expressed concerns last month to the Record about the future of democratic debate in the chamber, as Beaudin’s Citoyen slate increasingly fills key roles.

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