PSD leadership elections

Since the creation of the Parti social démocratique, leaders have been elected by democratic means using single ballot, instant-runoff One-member-one-vote elections. To date, two leadership elections have taken place. Both of which resulted in a leader who formed government.

December 3241 Leadership Election
The December 3241 leadership election was declared at the first PSD convention, to choose the first permanent leader of the party. The election took place in the lead up to the December 3241 convention. The ballot was conducted in a single ballot, instant-runoff manner, in which voters were asked to rank the candidates preferentially.

Four active members of the party ran, including expected front runner Pierre Fournier, a labour leader involved in the discussions in which the PSD was founded. Louise Laurent, a social activist and community lawyer was expected to be the main opponent to Fournier before the campaign began. Audrey Girard, a past member of the Moisdonne city council, launched a significant campaign and came to be one of the front runners, closly trailing Fournier. A fourth candidate, Étienne Durand, a socialist university student, ran with some significant support. Despite Fournier's early involvement with the PSD, the race was highly competitive and tight.

Amid some members' concerns that a preferential ballot would force members' votes to go to a third ranked candidate that the member does not support, the party included a box underneath the main ballot that allows users to indicate if they would wish to abstain from a second round vote count, meaning their ballot would not be counted past the first round. Aproximately 1 to 2 per cent of voting members used this option. Further, the party included in ballot instructions that one does not need to indicate past there first preference in order for their ballot to count. Approximately 12% - 14% of ballots did not indicate a preference beyond that of the second choice, causing in some circumstances the ballot to be exhausted in the second round.

October 3253 Leadership Election
The October 3253 leadership election was declared by the party in May 3253 alongside the annoucement of the resignation of Pierre Fournier as leader and Prime Minister, to choose the second permanent leader of the party. The ballot was conducted in a single ballot, instant-runoff manner, in which voters were asked to rank the candidates preferentially, following the same rules as the first leadership election.

Five candidates ran for leader, all of whom had previous affiliations with party. The leadership election also marked the contention by several younger members of the party who were part of a "second wave" of membership. Candidates included Alexandre Martin, a two time Minister of Foreign Affairs in both Fournier cabinets; Anastasie Lacroix, a "Second wave" member who served as Minister of Internal Affairs in the second Fournier cabinet; Anton Moreau, a "Second wave" PSD member of the Sénat; Matthieu Ouellet, a labour leader and two time Minister of Health and Social Services in both Fournier cabinets; and Lise Bonsant, another "Second wave" member and member of the Sénat.