im ▁party ▁leader ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Ear lier , ▁Lé ve illé ▁had ▁announced ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁Parti ▁du ▁pro gr ès , ▁which ▁he ▁subsequently ▁abandoned . ▁Lé ve illé ▁led ▁the ▁party ▁into ▁the ▁December ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁general ▁election . ▁However , ▁the ▁party ▁ran ▁only ▁ 1 9 ▁candidates , ▁none ▁of ▁whom ▁came ▁close ▁to ▁being ▁elected . ▁ ▁It ▁only ▁won ▁ 0 . 2 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote , ▁its ▁worst ▁showing ▁ever . ▁This ▁would ▁prove ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁final ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁field ed ▁candidates . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁no ▁longer ▁could ▁rely ▁on ▁a ▁significant ▁get - out - the - vote ▁organization ▁or ▁attract ▁any ▁media ▁attention . ▁ ▁The ▁elect or ate ▁was ▁increasing ly ▁polar ized ▁over ▁the ▁constitution al ▁issue , ▁with ▁conserv ative - lean ing ▁vot ers ▁split ▁between ▁either ▁the ▁federal ist ▁Liber als ▁or ▁the ▁so vere ig nt ist ▁Parti ▁Qu éb é co is ▁in ▁provincial ▁elections . ▁ ▁Furthermore , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁small ▁conserv ative ▁and ▁cr éd it iste ▁parties ▁were ▁created ▁and ▁were ▁in ▁competition ▁with ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁for ▁the ▁few ▁thousands ▁of ▁votes ▁that ▁were ▁still ▁up ▁for ▁gra bs . ▁Those ▁parties ▁included ▁André ▁Ass elin ' s ▁Progress ive