The Parti Québécois Is Back In Power In Québec

Québec has a new government, and the province was decidedly fed up with its previous regime.

The Parti Québécois won Monday’s provincial election with 59 seats, bringing the party back to power for the first time since 2014. But Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s party fell five seats short of the 64 needed for a majority, leaving Québec with a minority government.

The result was also a stunning collapse for the Coalition Avenir Québec. The party had governed Québec since 2018, but was shut out of the National Assembly altogether in Monday’s vote. The CAQ’s defeat came after a campaign in which the cost of living, healthcare, housing and immigration were among the major issues facing voters.

The Parti Québécois won 27.9 per cent of the popular vote, while the Québec Liberal Party, Parti conservateur du Québec and Québec solidaire also captured seats. The fragmented vote allowed the PQ to form government without coming close to winning a majority of ballots cast.

The immediate challenge for PSPP, as he is known in the province, is governing with an opposition-controlled legislature. The PQ will need cooperation from at least one other party on legislation and confidence matters.

St-Pierre Plamondon also campaigned on holding another referendum on Québec independence. He has however said he would not hold one while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office, citing the economic uncertainty surrounding the current Canada-U.S. relationship. Besides, support for sovereignty remains well below a majority, according to recent polling.

Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated the new premier following the result and said Ottawa would work with the incoming Québec government. The relationship between the two who, coincidentally, both served as goaltenders for Oxford University's hockey team, will be interesting to follow, as PSPP pushes policies around French-language protection, immigration and Québec’s place within Canada.