Election outcome and minority government

The Parti Québécois won 59 seats in Quebec's 127-member National Assembly in the general election on Monday, October 5, 2026. The result places leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon five seats short of the 64 required for a majority, returning the separatist party to government for the first time since 2014. The Coalition Avenir Québec was swept out of office after eight years, failing to secure a single seat, while the Parti Québécois took power with approximately 28% of the vote. Operating as a minority government, the administration will require support from opposition parties to pass key legislation and clear confidence votes. In his victory address, St-Pierre Plamondon reiterated his long-term goal of national sovereignty.

We simply want to exist as a nation and decide for ourselves, just like the 200 other countries in the world.

Referendum timetable and public opinion

St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to organizing a third referendum on Quebec sovereignty, following earlier votes in 1980 and 1995. The premier-designate announced that he plans to delay any vote until United States President Donald Trump leaves office in early 2029, pointing to cross-border trade friction as a barrier to calm deliberation. Polling recorded across 26 surveys by the aggregation website Qc125 indicates that about 70% of Quebec voters oppose separating from Canada, with support for independence standing at roughly 30%. Former federal New Democratic Party leader Thomas Mulcair stated in the Journal de Montréal that he remains part of the 70% of residents who reject holding another vote.

Monarchy dispute at the National Assembly

During a press conference in Quebec City, St-Pierre Plamondon announced that he will refuse to swear allegiance to King Charles III at his swearing-in. The premier-designate requested a legal opinion to exclude the lieutenant governor, who represents the British crown under the Canadian Constitution, from attending the official ceremony. St-Pierre Plamondon also proposed redirecting the budget allocated to the lieutenant governor toward homelessness reduction. Following the 2022 provincial election, Parti Québécois lawmakers were briefly blocked from the legislature after refusing the oath, prompting a subsequent provincial statute that abolished the requirement for elected members. That measure remains subject to a challenge filed in the Quebec Superior Court in August.

There is something abnormal about a foreign king coming to tell us what to do.

Federal reaction and interprovincial tensions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney contacted St-Pierre Plamondon on Tuesday morning to discuss infrastructure funding, housing and economic support for provincial workers affected by United States tariffs. Carney stressed that the federal government plans to pursue cooperative federalism and urged Quebec to address pressing economic conditions rather than a distant referendum. Cabinet minister Joël Lightbound emphasized that the election outcome does not equate to a separation mandate, which requires a direct public vote. The political shift in Quebec takes place two weeks before Alberta holds a vote on October 19 to determine whether to conduct its own separation referendum. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed that Ottawa will cooperate with the new provincial government to protect manufacturing and trade jobs across Canada.