Quebec Elects PQ's St-Pierre Plamondon With 59 Seats, Testing Carney on Unity
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Oct 6
Quebec Elects PQ's St-Pierre Plamondon With 59 Seats, Testing Carney on Unity
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Oct 6
Summary
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon led the Parti Québécois from 3 seats four years ago to 59 on Monday, enough to form Quebec’s fourth minority government but short of the 64 needed for a majority.
Voters punished the Coalition Avenir Québec after health-care reform missteps and failed investments, wiping out the party that had won back-to-back majorities since 2018.
St-Pierre Plamondon pledged to govern for all Quebecers while still promising a third independence referendum after Donald Trump leaves office, even though most Quebecers do not want one.
Mark Carney now faces a harder task keeping premiers aligned against Trump’s trade war, with Quebec especially exposed to tariffs averaging about 11% and steel and aluminum exports down nearly 25% in 2025.
The minority mandate also limits the new premier at home, forcing him to seek opposition support to pass laws and making any sovereignty push harder to execute quickly.