Canada · Montreal
Parti Québécois Projected to Win Quebec Election
In brief
The sovereigntist Parti Québécois (PQ) is projected to form Quebec’s next government after Monday’s provincial election, ending eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec rule. On election night it was not yet clear whether the PQ would have a majority.
Radio-Canada and The Globe and Mail both projected a PQ government led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. The National Assembly now has 127 seats, so a party needs 64 for a majority. Early in the evening the PQ was leading or elected in around 60 ridings, with the Liberals second, the Conservative Party of Quebec third and Québec solidaire fourth. The outgoing CAQ, led by Christine Fréchette, was on track to lose almost all of its seats. Final and official results are confirmed by Élections Québec after the count.
The result is a dramatic turnaround for the PQ, which won only three seats in 2022. The party has promised a referendum on Quebec’s future but says it will not hold one until US President Donald Trump leaves office. The Globe and Mail noted that polls put support for independence at about 30%, historically low for the province.
Much of the campaign focused on the economy. Quebec’s aluminium and forestry industries have been hit hard by US tariffs, and voters showed a strong appetite for change after a series of controversies under the previous government.
Why it matters
A PQ government could make relations with Ottawa more tense on issues such as immigration and the role of the lieutenant-governor, and it puts the question of another referendum back on the national agenda.
Sources
- The Globe and Mail: Parti Québécois projected to form government in Quebec
- Radio-Canada: Le Parti québécois de PSPP remporte les élections
- Élections Québec: 2026 provincial general election results
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