Parti Québécois Members Refuse Oath to King Charles III

Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and 58 members of the Parti Québécois (PQ) were sworn into the National Assembly on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. In a historic first for a governing party, the caucus refused to pledge allegiance to King Charles III, instead swearing loyalty to the people of Quebec. The move follows a 2022 rule change that allows members to uphold the laws of Quebec rather than the monarchy.

The PQ formed a minority government after the October 5 election, winning 59 of 125 seats with 28 percent of the popular vote. While St-Pierre Plamondon has pledged to hold a referendum on sovereignty after 2029, he stated the government must first "get Quebec back on the rails" by cutting spending, addressing the cost of living, and improving education. The ceremony concluded with the phrase "Vive le Québec libre" and took place without Lieutenant-Governor Manon Jeannotte, whose office funding St-Pierre Plamondon intends to strip to combat homelessness.

The refusal to swear the royal oath has triggered a legal battle in the Quebec Superior Court. The Public Interest Litigation Institute filed for an injunction to force members to swear the oath to the King, arguing that those who do not are not constitutionally authorized to pass laws. While the federal Department of Justice has prima facie accepted the provincial law, Governor General Louise Arbour and other constitutional experts have expressed skepticism. St-Pierre Plamondon is scheduled to unveil his cabinet and officially form the government on October 21.