Franoise David, voice 'for the disenfranchised,' leaves politics

Franoise David, a longtime activist and one of the founders of Qubec Solidaire, is leaving political life.

David told a news conference Thursdayshe will immediately giveup her seat in the National Assembly, explaining that, at 69,she found itincreasingly difficult to handle the demands of her position in today's "troubled"political climate.

"I promised to give a voice to the voiceless, challenge the establishment and solve Quebec's political gridlock," Davidsaid, fighting back tears.

"I am proud of what we achieved."

With David's departure, the pro-sovereignist, left-wing partyholdsonly two seats at the National Assembly, occupied byManon Mass and Amir Khadir.

Mass will act as parliamentary spokesperson at least until the party's congress in the spring.

David saidshe's confidenta new generation is ready to take over the reins,hinting that former student leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois would be a good fit to lead the party.

Decade in provincial politics

David has been with QubecSolidairesince it launched in 2006 and played a key role in its formation.

In a bid to create a unified left-wing movement, her former party, Option Citoyenne, merged with Union des Forces Progressistes to become QubecSolidaire.

• Q&A10 questions withQubecSolidaire'sFranoiseDavid

David ran as candidatefor the partyin 2007 and again 2008, but failed to win a seat at the National Assembly.

She finally broke through in 2012 in the riding of Gouin,beating Nicholas Girardof the PartiQubcois by nearly 5,000 votes.

In the 2014 general election, David's popularity with her constituents was reaffirmed when she received more than half the ballots cast in her riding.

Shealso earned praise for her performance in the leadership debates that same year, whenshe took on Philippe Couillard, Pauline Marois andFranois Legault.

But overall, theparty failed to make major inroads at the ballot box, particularly in the 2014 race, in which it garneredeight per cent of the popular vote and three seats at the National Assembly.

ThierryLabrosse, who voted for herin thelast election, said she will be missed in Gouin.

"It's too bad. She was a great politician. I wish we had more people like her," saidLabrosse,sitting in acafacross the street from David's riding office onBeaubienStreet.

"She ... pulled the agenda towards something more social. We're in great need of that."

'A great politician': Voters in Gouin react to Franoise David's exit from politics

8 years ago

Duration 1:30

People in the riding of Gouin tell CBC how the feel about the news their MNA is quitting politics

'A strong voice for women'

David, a longtime activist, is a formerpresident of the Quebec Federation of Women.

In 1995,she helped organize a 10 day march, called the Women's March against Poverty,from Montreal toQuebec Cityto demand economic justice for women.

She was made a Knight of theNational Order of Quebec for her activism in 1999.

Parti Qubcois LeaderJean-Franois Lise acknowledgedDavid's years of activism in a tweet. Lisecalled her"a strong voice for women, for the disenfranchisedand the forgotten."