Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe said Monday he made a mistake by entering the PQ leadership race, ignoring his own instincts when he threw his hat into the ring.

'I went against my emotions, without checking the conditions, so I made a mistake.' — Gilles Duceppe

Flanked by members of the Bloc Québécois caucus, a tired and sheepish Duceppe met with reporters over lunch hour in Ottawa Monday to explain why he abandoned his bid to lead the provincial sovereigntist party — less than 24 hours after he declared his candidacy in the wake of André Boisclair's resignation.

"I'll say that Friday morning, when I met with my people, I was almost convinced not to go," Duceppe said, but explained he decided to forge ahead after considering the kind of message that would have sent to the voting public.

"Emotionally, to tell you the truth, I went against my emotions, without checking the conditions, so I made a mistake," Duceppe said.

His embarrassing retreat to Ottawa was softened by the warm welcome he received from his caucus on Monday.

Bloc MPs rallied around their leader, greeting him with a standing ovation before their caucus meeting, in which they endorsed Duceppe's continued leadership after what he called "very good exchanges" marked by "lots of love."

Gilles Duceppe said that, in throwing his hat into the PQ leadership race, 'I went against my emotions, without checking the conditions, so I made a mistake.'
(Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)

"If there's one resolution that I took in caucus, [it] is to never take on a challenge against my emotions," he said.

Then, with a touch of drama, Duceppe, 59, lifted his eyes toward the sky and exclaimed: "How could I, who is so methodical, make such a mistake? I don't know."

The leader said he will guide the Bloc into the next federal election and will gladly undergo another leadership review in October 2007, at the party's next general assembly.

"The question was not whether I wanted to continue our work in Ottawa or in Quebec but how better to contribute to sovereignty," he said.

He also reiterated his support for former PQ cabinet minister Pauline Marois, the remaining declared candidate for Quebec sovereignty's top job.

'I'm not sure the sovereignty movement would have made it through the clash of Titans.'— PQ legislative member Martin Lemay

"With Pauline, it won't be a duel, it will be a duo," he said, drawing applause from his MPs. "To promote sovereignty, to defend Quebec's interests here in Ottawa, and with the PQ to govern Quebec, to equally work to reposition the sovereigntist movement."

Duceppe said he agreed completely with the speech Marois gave in launching her leadership bid on Sunday, in which she urged the PQ to move away from its left-wing faction and referendum goal, and toward renewing and redefining the party's social democratic and sovereignty ideals.

"We're really on the same wavelength and we'll work hand in hand," he said.

Duceppe's humiliation continued throughout Monday as he gamely faced taunts and catcalls from his political rivals in the House of Commons. 

"I'm very pleased to see the leader of the Bloc with us. It's almost as if he never even left," said the Conservatives' Quebec lieutenant, Lawrence Cannon.

NDP Leader Jack Layton didn't pass up his chance after Duceppe attacked the government for a proposed seat-redistribution that would  reduce Quebec's clout in the Commons.

Layton joked that the Bloc might change its mind within 24 hours.

In Montreal, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion suggested that Duceppe had behaved like an amateur.

"I don't think it helps to flip flop like this," he said. "When you decide to run for leadership in a party, you're supposed to have thought about that."

Duceppe tested PQ  waters for a day

The long-serving Bloc leader shocked Quebec's political circles on Saturday when he issued a press release saying he was backing away from the PQ leadership because Marois had the support to win.

He also said at the time that he wanted to save the sovereignty movement from a potentially divisive fight.

Marois applauded Duceppe's decision during her Mother's Day leadership announcement, calling him a brave man.

As the dust started to settle on Monday, some sovereigntists expressed relief that Duceppe had bowed out.

"He showed a lot of courage," said Martin Lemay, PQ MNA for Sainte-Marie/Saint-Jacques.

"I'm not sure the sovereignty movement would have made it through the clash of Titans" that many forecast when it seemed Marois and Duceppe were running against only each other, he added.