Parti Québécois Returns to Power in Quebec, Falls Short of Majority

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 6, 2026

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The Parti Québécois has returned to power in Quebec after more than a decade in opposition, winning 59 of the province's 127 seats in Monday's election and leaving leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon five seats short of a majority government.

The result gives the PQ a minority government and means it will need support from opposition lawmakers to pass key legislation and survive confidence and budget votes.

Preliminary results showed the Quebec Liberal Party winning 40 seats, followed by the Conservative Party of Quebec with 19 and Québec solidaire with nine. The outgoing Coalition Avenir Québec, which had governed the province since 2018, failed to win a seat.

The PQ secured about 28% of the popular vote, ahead of the Liberals at roughly 24.2% and the Conservatives at 20.7%, highlighting how divided the Quebec electorate was across the major parties. Reuters reported that the PQ's share was the lowest recorded for a winning party in Quebec history.

The election also brings the question of Quebec sovereignty back into national politics. St-Pierre Plamondon has pledged to pursue another referendum on independence, although he has said he does not intend to hold one while U.S. President Donald Trump remains in office, citing the political and economic uncertainty surrounding Canada-U.S. relations.

Quebec held sovereignty referendums in 1980 and 1995, both of which were defeated. Current support for independence remains around 30%, meaning the PQ's electoral victory does not by itself represent majority public support for separation from Canada.

The incoming government could also face disagreements with Ottawa over immigration, Quebec's relationship with federal institutions and the monarchy, and major economic and infrastructure policies.

Prime Minister Mark Carney congratulated St-Pierre Plamondon and said he was prepared to work with the incoming Quebec government, particularly on economic issues, as Ottawa prepares for a new relationship with a provincial administration committed to Quebec sovereignty.

Election-night figures remain preliminary until Quebec's electoral authorities complete the formal validation process.