QUEBEC — Antoine Dionne Charest, son of former Quebec premier Jean Charest, is entering politics and will be the Liberal candidate in the riding of Verdun.
Confirming rumours that have circulated for months, Dionne Charest was chosen as the candidate Wednesday evening at a nomination meeting.
Perfectly bilingual like his father, Dionne Charest had expressed an interest in running for the Liberals for several years. He was recently involved in the party’s relaunch committee and is active on the Liberal policy committee.
A graduate of Concordia University, Université de Montréal and the London School of Economics, Dionne Charest has been a frequent political analyst.
He has written opinion pieces on the issues of the day, including endorsing the Liberal plan to create a Quebec constitution should the Liberals take power in the fall.
During the 2025 Liberal leadership race, he supported Karl Blackburn, who ultimately lost to Pablo Rodriguez, who later resigned.
The current head of the party, Charles Milliard, was acclaimed leader in February.
The riding of Verdun is currently held by Québec solidaire MNA Alejandra Zaga Mendez, who squeaked out a win in the 2022 general election.
The QS win was a surprise because the riding has a long Liberal history. It had voted Liberal every time since the 1940s. Zaga Mendez is seeking re-election.
The general election is Oct. 5.
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