A new poll out Tuesday shows François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec in majority government territory with a provincial election less than eight months away.
The Ipsos survey, its first one since last October, shows the CAQ gaining six points to 34 per cent, the Liberals losing two to 30 per cent, the PQ holding on to third place, down one to 23 per cent, and Québec Solidaire tumbling four points to eight per cent.
The figures are similar to a Leger poll done last month for Le Devoir. The Ipsos poll, a phone and Internet poll conducted this past weekend, comes after a debate over a possible return to politics by former PQ leader Pierre Karl Péladeau, and current PQ leader Jean-François Lisée's attempt to boost the party's sagging fortunes by naming PQ MNA Véronique Hivon as the party's 'co-leader'.
The poll shows 46 per cent of Péquistes would prefer Péladeau as leader, versus 36 per cent who support Lisée.
Among francophones, the CAQ picked up eight points to sit at 40 per cent, the PQ hold at 29 per cent, the Liberals have lost a whopping six points to sit at 18 per cent, and Québec Solidaire are at eight per cent, down four.
The CAQ also leads among men — 39 per cent to 28, and is well in the lead among two key age groups, the 55+ and 35-54 groups, who tend to be more likely to actually head to the ballot box on election day.
Another bit of bad news for the Liberals — 61 per cent of those polled say it's time for a change in government. Only 25 per cent are okay with things as they are.