Parti Québécois Wins Quebec Election to Form Minority Government

The separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) won the Quebec provincial election on October 5, 2026, returning to power for the first time in 12 years. Led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, the party secured 59 of 127 seats, falling five short of a majority. The victory followed a total collapse of the incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), which lost all 79 of its seats. The Quebec Liberal Party became the official opposition with 40 seats, while the Conservative Party of Quebec made a historic return to the legislature with 19 seats.

Incoming Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon pledged to hold a third sovereignty referendum during his first mandate but vowed to delay the vote until after U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office in 2029. He cited the need to avoid economic instability during an ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war. Plamondon stated that this election was about "changing paths after eight years of the Coalition Avenir Québec not leading us to where we should be."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated the PQ and discussed infrastructure funding and trade war support with Plamondon. Carney described the current period as a "crucial time" for the country, urging a focus on immediate issues. The result creates a national unity challenge for Carney, as Alberta is also scheduled to hold a non-binding independence vote on October 19. Business leaders expressed concern that the prospect of a referendum could make the province uninvestable and dampen economic activity.