Separatists win Quebec election but vow to wait on referendum

For the first time in a decade, a minority government that dreams of independence will take the helm in the French-speaking province. Parti Quebecois supporters cheer as results come in at PQ headquarters on election night in Montreal, Quebec on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) MONTREAL (CN) — The separatist Parti Québécois won a provincial election in Quebec Monday night, promising to hold a referendum on independence from Canada despite falling short of a governing majority. For the first time since 2014, the separatist party will head the National Assembly in Quebec City, with leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon as premier, complicating the unity of a Canadian government facing a trade war with the United States. The PQ won 28% of the vote, the lowest for a governing party in the French-speaking province’s history, and garnered 59 seats, five short of the 64 needed to form a majority government. The result — a significant jump from the three seats it won in 2022 — means the PQ will have to work alongside other parties to govern. As the 49-year-old St-Pierre Plamondon thanked supporters Monday night, the crowd burst into the province’s unofficial hymn, “Gens du pays.” The new premier — who was elected to lead his party in 2020 and has represented Eastern Montreal since 2022 — promised to represent “all Quebecers, without exception.” He gave part of his address in English, though Quebec’s only official language is French. The question of self-determination was prominent, though Quebec will have to wait until at least 2028 to vote on the matter. St-Pierre Plamondon said he would hold off on a referendum until U.S. President Donald Trump is out of office. “It is up to none other than us, as a people, to decide our national future, and it is only natural to ask ourselves this question again — in light of our accelerated linguistic and cultural decline in recent years, but also with the legitimate goal of taking full control of our destiny,” he said. Recent polls show about 30% of voters in Quebec favor sovereignty. With a minority government, however, there is no guarantee the PQ will retain power “The life expectancy of a minority government typically in Quebec is no more than, on average, 18 to 24 months,” said Daniel Béland, a professor at McGill University and director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. Founded in 1968, the PQ’s policies transformed the cultural and social landscape of the province in the late 20th century. It piloted two unsuccessful independence referendums in 1980 and 1995, the latter of which ended with 50.5% of voters in the “No” camp and 49.50% for the “Yes” camp. The PQ leader said he was open to working alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, as long as Quebec’s interests are protected. Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, center, speaks to supporters after winning the provincial election in Montreal, Quebec on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP) Carney congratulated the new premier on social media, saying he looks forward to building a strong Quebec, even as St-Pierre Plamondon’s separatist dream threatens Canadian unity, especially in the context of a trade war with the U.S. “The PQ said that they want to be consulted about trade decisions that relate to Quebec, and St-Pierre-Plamondon was also critical of the dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs,” said Béland. He said this potential division between Quebec and Ottawa would be welcome in Washington, since it could mean a “weakened united front on the Canadian side.” According to Élections Québec , voter turnout was 66.9%, with 4.3 million votes cast. The Liberal Party of Quebec will be the official opposition after taking second with 40 seats and 24.4% of votes. Led by newcomer Charles Milliard after years of internal scandals, the LPQ doubled its performance from the last elections. Milliard said “there is no way