A year after he stepped down as president and CEO of Quebecor Inc. and Quebecor Media Inc., Pierre Karl Peladeau is running to become a provincial MP for the separatist Parti Quebecois in Quebec.

“Today, I make the choice to serve Quebecers, and to devote myself to the economic prosperity of Quebec,” Peladeau said Sunday during a press conference in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, where he will run as a candidate.

The Quebec media giant remains on the Quebecor board to oversee corporate strategy at both companies as chairman of Quebec Media, and of private broadcaster TVA Group and vice-chairman of Quebecor.

Day-to-day control of Quebecor and Quebecor Media has gone to Robert Depatie.

Peledeau, while campaigning for Quebec sovereignty, still controls around 30% of Quebecor stock, and that minority holding is expected to go into a blind trust should he be elected on April 7 to the Quebec legislature.