World Notes Canada

Ever since politically beleaguered Rene Levesque, 63, announced last June that he would resign both as Quebec's premier and leader of the ruling Parti Quebecois, provincial Justice Minister Pierre-Marc Johnson, 39, has been the front runner to succeed him. Last week, in a provincewide party election, Johnson won 60% of the vote and the helm of the party that swept to power in 1976 on a surge of sentiment for separating Quebec from the rest of Canada. He ascends to the provincial premiership that his father Daniel held from 1966 until his death in 1968.

Johnson, who holds degrees in both law and medicine, is ambiguous on the issue of independence. His election was a defeat for hard-line P.Q. separatists. Only one out of six Quebecers, according to a Gallup poll released last week, still favors secession. But his victory may prove short- lived. Quebec's Liberals, led by former Provincial Premier Robert Bourassa, 52, had already whittled the P.Q. majority in the national assembly, the provincial parliament, down to two votes. But in addition to resigning the premiership, Levesque also gave up his national assembly seat. His departure last week cut the P.Q. margin to a single vote.