QUEBEC / RankWire.AI / – Following Quebec’s provincial vote on Monday, the Parti Québécois is set to form a minority administration. The sovereigntist party garnered 59 of the 127 seats in the National Assembly, falling five seats short of the 64 needed for an outright majority. Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is expected to become Quebec’s next premier, marking the first time since 2014 that the party has returned to power. In the 2022 election, the PQ held only three seats.
The Quebec Liberal Party secured 40 seats and will serve as the official opposition. The Conservative Party of Quebec won 19 seats, while Québec solidaire took nine. The Coalition Avenir Québec, which had been governing since 2018, did not win any seats in this election. This outcome represents a significant turnaround from 2022 when the CAQ claimed 90 seats and achieved a second consecutive majority. Now, four parties will be represented in the National Assembly.
Initial results indicated that the Parti Québécois received approximately 27.9% of the popular vote, which is the lowest share ever recorded by a winning party in a Quebec provincial election. Support was broadly distributed among the five main parties, resulting in no party holding a majority of seats. Following the count, St-Pierre Plamondon stated that his government would collaborate with other parties whenever cooperation aligns with Quebec’s interests. Élections Québec was still presenting these figures as preliminary after election night.
PQ Gains Power with a Minority Mandate
The election also brought Quebec sovereignty back to the forefront of provincial politics. St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to holding another referendum on independence once Donald Trump leaves office. Quebec has previously held sovereignty referendums in 1980 and 1995, with voters rejecting independence both times. The 1995 vote was narrowly decided, with the federalist side winning by a thin margin. During the 2026 campaign, the PQ leader reiterated his pledge for a referendum.
St-Pierre Plamondon emphasized that a referendum would allow Quebecers to decide their political future. He acknowledged that governing with a minority mandate would require support from other legislators for measures needing approval in the National Assembly. Both the Quebec Liberals and the Conservatives campaigned against holding another sovereignty referendum. Québec solidaire supports Quebec independence but differs from the PQ on several policy issues. None of the parties currently hold the 64 seats necessary for a majority.
CAQ Loses All Seats After Eight Years in Power
This election concludes eight years of Coalition Avenir Québec governance. Outgoing Premier Christine Fréchette lost her seat in Trois-Rivières, as the CAQ failed to elect any candidates. The party entered the race after achieving two consecutive majority wins under former premier François Legault. The defeat means Quebec will have a new ruling party for the first time since 2018. Fréchette acknowledged the results, thanking supporters after the scale of losses became apparent.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated St-Pierre Plamondon following the election outcome and expressed Ottawa’s readiness to collaborate with Quebec’s incoming government. Carney also thanked Fréchette for her service as premier. He stated that the federal government aims to support Quebec’s businesses and workers impacted by tariffs, while also focusing on job creation and expanding housing. St-Pierre Plamondon assured that he would stand up for Quebec’s interests but remain open to dialogue with Ottawa. The PQ begins its term with a mandate that is five seats short of a majority.
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