Politics News

Separatists win Quebec but fall short of a majority: a referendum promise, after Trump

The separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) won Quebec's provincial election on Monday, October 5, returning to power with a promise of another referendum on independence from Canada. The Guardian said the party was on track for nearly 60 seats, short of the 64 needed for a majority in the 127-seat National Assembly, so it will need opposition support to pass key laws.

Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is set to become premier. He has said he will not call a referendum until Donald Trump leaves the White House; Al Jazeera noted that is due in January 2029. The result ends eight years in power for the Coalition Avenir Québec. Al Jazeera called it a sharp recovery for a party that won just three seats in 2022 and last governed from 2012 to 2014.

Polls put support for independence at about 30%, near record lows. Daniel Béland of McGill University, quoted by both outlets, said the result reflected Quebec's multiparty system rather than a surge in separatism, but still poses a national-unity challenge for Carney, with Alberta voting on October 19 on whether to hold a separation referendum. CTV News gathered leaders' reactions as the PQ formed a minority government.

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — a test for Prime Minister Mark Carney's united front against Trump's tariffs, and PQ policies that could raise tensions with Ottawa.
• Al Jazeera — the revival of the independence question, using AP and Reuters reporting.
• CTV News — the domestic view: how Canadian leaders responded to the minority win.

What we don't know yet: The final seat count was still unclear as votes were counted, and so is whether the PQ will find steady partners in the legislature.