Bloc Quebecois (BQ) leader Gilles Duceppe announced Saturday he is pulling out of the race for leadership of Parti Quebecois (PQ), the separatist party in Canada's French-speaking Quebec province.

The 59-year-old said he will now throw his support behind

Pauline Marois, a former PQ cabinet minister who had failed two times in the leadership race before.

"It's time for a woman, and one of quality, to come in to lead the Parti Quebecois, then Quebec ... I hope to continue to work towards the advance of our cause - Quebec sovereignty - as Bloc Quebecois leader," Duceppe said in a statment.

Duceppe and Marois both announced their intentions to run in the race Friday after former PQ leader Andre Boisclair stepped down last week. Under Boisclair, the party suffered a severe defeat in the provincial election in March.

Analysts said Marois is much more popular within the party and has the best chances to win the race.

The BQ and PQ are sister parties both devoted to the sovereignty of Quebec, Canada's second populous province with 7.5 million people. BQ is the third largest federal party now, holding 51 seats in the 308-seat House of Commons. Duceppe has been its leader for 10 years.

Source: Xinhua