Union des forces progressistes (Quebec)
| File:UFP symbol.jpg | |
| Current Leader: | Leading council |
| Founded: | June 2002 |
| Headquarters: | 2177 Masson Street, suite 412 Montreal, Québec H2H 1B1 (514) 278-9014 & 1-866-278-9014 [email protected] |
| Colours: | Green, White & Red |
| Political ideology: | Democratic Socialist/Social Democrat, Nationalist & Independentist |
The Union des Forces Progressistes (UFP) is left wing a political party in Quebec, Canada. Three leftist parties merged to form the UFP in 2002 out of desire to unite Quebec's radical left: the Rassemblement pour l'Alternative Progressiste (RAP), the Parti de la Democratie Socialiste (PDS, formerly the Quebec wing of the New Democratic Party), and the Parti Communiste du Québec (PCQ). Quebec's Green Party, the Parti Vert du Québec, has pledged to try to avoid running candidates in ridings where there is a UFP candidate, although it reserves the right to run anywhere it wants to (even ridings with a UFP candidate), and has not merged with the UFP.
The UFP presents itself as an alternative to the main three parties in Quebec: the Parti Québécois, the Parti Libéral du Québec and the Action démocratique du Québec/Equipe Mario Dumont, saying that all three are but different faces of the same right-wing ideology called neoliberalism.
The UFP opposes globalization, privatization, and deregulation, and calls for increased funding of social services, higher taxes on the rich and business, proportional representation in Quebec's National Assembly, and an alternative economy based upon co-operatives and non-profit organizations.
The UFP supports national independence. However as a left-wing party, it considers this option not as an end in itself, but rather as a means to achieve the party's social ideal for the people of Quebec. To solve the national question, the UFP suggests the creation of a Constituent Assembly, mandated to draw up and propose to the population, via referendum, a Constitution for a progressive, republican, secular and democratic Québec.
The UFP is led by a council instead of a single leader. The UFP promises to be a party of the ballot box and of the streets, meaning that it will work to increase awareness of social problems and for progressive social change even between elections, particularly with regards to the rights of workers and of the unemployed.
Considering its modest results in the 2003 elections (1.06% of the votes or 1.50% if Parti Vert du Québec's votes are included), the UFP is still a marginal party. Only time will tell if it will be able to make a breakthrough in Quebec's political scene.
UFP Representatives
- Pierre Dostie and Molly Alexander (2002-2004)
- Amir Khadir and Denise Veilleux (current)
See also
- Politics of Quebec
- List of Quebec general elections
- List of Quebec premiers
- List of Quebec leaders of the Opposition
- National Assembly of Quebec
- Timeline of Quebec history
- List of political parties in Canada