QUEBEC / RankWire.AI / – The Parti Québécois will form a minority government after winning Quebec’s provincial election on Monday. The sovereigntist party secured 59 of the National Assembly’s 127 seats, five short of the 64 needed for a majority. Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is set to become Quebec’s next premier after returning the party to power for the first time since 2014. The PQ won only three seats in the 2022 election.
The Quebec Liberal Party won 40 seats and will form the official opposition. The Conservative Party of Quebec captured 19 seats, while Québec solidaire won nine. The Coalition Avenir Québec failed to win a seat after governing the province since 2018. This result marks a significant shift from 2022, when the CAQ secured 90 seats and achieved a second consecutive majority. Now, four parties will hold representation in the National Assembly.
Preliminary data indicated that the Parti Québécois received approximately 27.9% of the popular vote, the lowest share ever recorded by a winning party in a Quebec provincial election. Support was widely dispersed among the five main parties, preventing any from controlling the legislature. Following the outcome, St-Pierre Plamondon stated that his government would collaborate with other parties where mutual interests align. Élections Québec was still presenting the figures as preliminary after election night.
PQ returns to power with a minority mandate
The election also reignited the central role of Quebec sovereignty in provincial politics. St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to holding another referendum on independence once Donald Trump leaves office. Quebec previously held sovereignty referendums in 1980 and 1995, both of which resulted in voters rejecting independence. The 1995 vote was particularly close, with the federalist side narrowly prevailing. The PQ leader reaffirmed his commitment to a referendum during the 2026 campaign.
He explained that a referendum would give Quebecers the chance to determine their political future. While acknowledging that a minority government would need support from other legislators for certain measures, he emphasized the importance of dialogue. The Quebec Liberals campaigned against holding another sovereignty vote, and the Conservatives also opposed it. Québec solidaire supports Quebec independence but differs from the PQ on several policy issues. No party holds the 64 seats necessary for a majority.
CAQ loses all seats after eight years in office
This election ended eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec governance. Outgoing Premier Christine Fréchette lost her race in Trois-Rivières as the CAQ failed to elect any representatives. The party entered the campaign after two consecutive majority wins under former premier François Legault. Its defeat results in a new governing party for the first time since 2018. Fréchette acknowledged the result, thanking supporters after the extent of losses became clear.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated St-Pierre Plamondon on the election outcome and expressed Ottawa’s readiness to collaborate with Quebec’s new government. Carney also thanked Fréchette for her service as premier. He highlighted the federal government’s intentions to support Quebec businesses and workers affected by tariffs, as well as to promote job creation and housing expansion. St-Pierre Plamondon affirmed he would defend Quebec’s interests while remaining open to dialogue with Ottawa. The PQ begins its mandate with five seats short of a majority.