After Denis Coderre's exit, Ensemble Montréal names its new interim leader
Aref Salem was elected as city councillor in Saint-Laurent borough in 4th consecutive election
Aref Salem, a longtime city councillor, is taking over the leadership of the official opposition at Montreal's city hall.
Salem was introduced as the interim leader of Ensemble Montréal, during a news conference on Tuesday morning.
On Nov. 7, Valérie Plante handily defeated Denis Coderre, the party's previous leader, to retain her seat as Montreal mayor.
Last Friday, Coderre announced he was quitting politics for good.
During the most recent municipal elections, Salem was elected as a city councillor in the Saint-Laurent borough for a fourth consecutive time.
From 2013 to 2017, Salem was in charge of the transportation file for the city's executive committee, under the Coderre administration.
On Tuesday, Salem said party members chose him as their interim leader through a secret vote, and that he would remain in his new role for at least three years.
"We have a lot of challenges in front of us," Salem said, while also referring to Ensemble Montréal as a party in need of a rebuild following its latest defeat.
"My colleagues, they were behind me and I'm going to be there for them, too. We're going to build the party for all of them, for the newcomers, too, and to make sure, at least, that we're going to win in 2025 and be the next administration at the city."
WATCH | Aref Salem explains plan for Ensemble Montréal under his leadership:
Under his leadership, Salem said Ensemble Montréal will be a "human" and "rigorous" party that will work with the Plante administration for the benefit of Montrealers, while also holding them accountable.
The top priorities, he said, are making sure the Plante administration presents a budget that does not have more than a two-per-cent tax increase, and follows through on its commitment to hire 250 more police officers — an election campaign promise that was first made by Ensemble Montréal.
Lionel Perez had served as the party's interim leader from 2017 up until March of this year, when Coderre announced he would try to win back city hall.
Earlier this month, Perez lost his bid to become the borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, although the result of that race is one of several his party is contesting.