ôme ▁Pr oul x ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Parti ▁Qu éb é co is . ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁lost ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁its ▁conserv ative ▁base , ▁including ▁M NA ▁Gast on ▁T rem bl ay , ▁to ▁the ▁R al li ement ▁cr éd it iste . ▁ ▁Ber tr and ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁insp ire ▁vot ers ▁and ▁the ▁party ▁seemed ▁to ▁have ▁lost ▁touch ▁with ▁Quebec ▁society . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁election , ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁was ▁res ound ingly ▁defeated , ▁winning ▁only ▁ 1 7 ▁seats . ▁ ▁While ▁it ▁finished ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁popular ▁vote ▁behind ▁the ▁P Q , ▁it ▁still ▁managed ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁Official ▁O pp osition . ▁ ▁Gabriel ▁Lou b ier ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁leader ▁and ▁the ▁party ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁Un ité ▁Québec ▁from ▁October ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁January ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁change ▁was ▁not ▁enough ▁to ▁halt ▁the ▁party ' s ▁decl ine , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁election , ▁it ▁was ▁shut ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁former ▁UN ▁Cab inet ▁Member ▁and ▁inter im ▁leader ▁Maurice ▁Belle m are ▁won ▁a ▁by - e lection , ▁and ▁the ▁party ▁again ▁was ▁represented ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 1 ,