Article content

They are after the same thing — power.

But they face a dilemma: How to go about taking the governing Liberals down a notch in public opinion at the same time as portraying themselves as governments-in-waiting.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Opposition parties fight for public's attention but remain mired in polls Back to video

As opposition MNAs of the Coalition Avenir Québec and Parti Québécois meet this week for separate back-to-back caucuses to prepare for the resumption of work at the National Assembly — and a series of four byelections — it will be in the hope of finding answers to a riddle that haunted them all last session.

Despite all the controversies and troubles that dogged Premier Philippe Couillard’s Liberal government last spring — a pattern that seems to be repeating itself now — the party leads in public opinion polls.

The government is not quite Teflon, but the opposition’s attacks don’t seem to give them traction with voters. A series of summer spats between the CAQ and PQ probably didn’t do much to shore up their credibility, either.