Quebecers could be heading to the polls as early as March 26, in a vote pitting Jean Charest's increasingly confident Liberals against the separatist Parti Quebecois.
With recent polls showing the PQ falling behind the Liberals for the first time in two years, Charest has postponed a major policy convention planned for March.
He has replaced the convention with a general party meeting on Feb. 17 -- clearing the way for an election call which could see a vote as early as March 26. Quebec newspapers say the premier could use the February meeting to launch the party's election platform.
Charest was expected to make the call in March after the convention, with an election expected in late April or early May.
CTV Montreal's Annie de Melt said Charest already seemed to be in "election mode" Monday morning, as he made a funding announcement in Montreal for Quebec's movie industry as well as a funding announcement in Valcourt for Bombardier.
While he dodged any election-related questions on Monday, "he has hinted in the past that he won't necessarily wait for the federal budget at the end of March to call an election," said Demelt.
A public-opinion poll by the CROP firm released last week showed support for sovereignty at 45 per cent. But Andre Boisclair's PQ continued to lose ground, with support from 34 per cent, compared to the Liberals' 37 per cent.
The Liberals have one year left in their term, but analysts say it makes sense for Charest to strike while the iron is hot and take advantage of the PQ's eroding support.
Others caution there is a risk element in Charest in calling the election so quickly, saying the strategy could backfire.
"He has to rush a certain number of things to do this," political analyst Michel C. Auger told CTV Montreal.
"He'll have to recall the National Assembly early; he'll have to table a budget early; and then he'll have the federal budget in the middle of the election.
"That may seem strange to some voters."
But such a scenario would also allow Prime Minister Stephen Harper to table his federal budget at the height of the provincial campaign. Quebec could benefit substantially as part of Harper's attempt to settle the so-called fiscal imbalance with the provinces.
With a report from CTV Montreal's Annie DeMelt
