▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁party ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁tiny ▁Parti ▁président iel , ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Cr éd it iste ▁diss idents ▁led ▁by ▁Y von ▁Bro ch u , ▁and ▁kept ▁the ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁name . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁business ▁owner ▁Rod rig ue ▁Bir on , ▁a ▁former ▁card - car ry ing ▁Liberal ▁supp orter ▁who ▁had ▁no ▁experience ▁in ▁provincial ▁politics , ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁party ▁leader . ▁Belle m are ▁tried ▁to ▁flush ▁out ▁potential ▁candidates ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁( such ▁as ▁former ▁Liberal ▁cabinet ▁minister ▁J ér ôme ▁Cho qu ette ) ▁by ▁calling ▁a ▁leadership ▁convention ▁for ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁but ▁was ▁un success ful . ▁ ▁His ▁imp uls ive ▁policy ▁statements ▁and ▁poor ▁relations ▁with ▁the ▁old ▁guard ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁led ▁to ▁res ign ations ▁of ▁party ▁officials , ▁including ▁Jacques ▁T ét re ault , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁his ▁most ▁serious ▁oppon ent ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁leadership . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Bir on ▁abandoned ▁a ▁plan ▁to ▁un ite ▁his ▁party ▁with ▁Cho qu ette ' s ▁Parti ▁National ▁Pop ulaire , ▁despite ▁prior ▁efforts ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁two ▁groups . ▁ ▁The ▁Union ▁N ationale ▁made ▁a ▁mod est ▁recovery ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁election , ▁winning ▁ 1 1 ▁seats ▁and ▁ 1 8 . 2 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote . ▁ ▁While