The Parti Quebecois has adopted a plan to lower the voting age to 16 and introduce citizen-led referenda in Quebec if elected to government.

The two policies are part of a series of measures approved by the provincial opposition party's delegates at a meeting this weekend in Montreal.

The proposal to lower the legal voting age has long been debated within the PQ and young people are traditionally among the sovereignty movement's strongest supporters.

The introduction of citizen-led referenda would mean future votes on Quebec's independence could be triggered by popular demand.

The proposal was led by a prominent MNA who argued that if 15 per cent of Quebecers signed a petition to hold a referendum on any topic, there could be one.

"We want to be able to give to the citizens the (opportunity) to express their opinions between elections," said PQ MNA Bernard Drainville.

"The current program says when the Parti Quebecois sees the circumstances are right to have a referendum, we'll have it. In addition to that, now we say when the citizens of Quebec say they're ready, they'll be able to express this willingness to go ahead."

The PQ also suggested introducing an elected senate in the province.

"We can get rid of the federal Senate and use this money to have representation of the regions in Quebec," said Réjean Hébert, doctor who plans to run for the PQ in the Saint-François riding in Estrie.

PQ Leader Pauline Marois closed out the convention with a speech Sunday afternoon.

After weeks of speculation, Marois now appears set to lead the PQ unopposed into the next election.

Former Bloc Quebecois chief Gilles Duceppe had been her rumoured replacement until he announced last weekend he wasn't going to return to active politics amid accusations he mishandled public funds.

A new opinion poll released Saturday suggested the recent infighting at the PQ hasn't hurt their standing with voters.

The party polled a close third behind Premier Jean Charest's Liberals and the Coalition Avenir Quebec, which continues to lead the polls.

Marois said despite coming in third in the polls and recent infighting, the weekend meeting left her feeling rejuvenated.

"That was hard one week ago, that was hard two months ago, that was hard six months ago," she said. "But I am always alive."

With files from CTVMontreal.ca