Quebec October 2026 –

2026 Quebec provincial election results
Parti Québécois 59 seats
Quebec Liberal Party 40 seats
Conservative Party of Quebec 19 seats
Québec solidaire 9 seats
Turnout 66.92%

19 October
New government, lots of new faces: Get to know some of Quebec’s newest MNAs
(CBC) The Parti Québécois is bringing a mix of newcomers and experienced politicians into the National Assembly ahead of the government’s cabinet swearing-in. Among the new faces are Anne Nguyen, a Harvard graduate in business analytics expected to contribute to the government’s artificial intelligence strategy; immigration lawyer Stéphane Handfield; former Montreal International president and CEO Stéphane Paquet, one of only two PQ MNAs elected on the island of Montreal; and economist Dieudonné Ella Oyono, who has experience in economic development. Other newcomers include lawyer Marie-Claude Sarrazin, who defeated former CAQ finance minister Eric Girard, and former NDP MP Pierre Nantel. The new caucus also includes returning MNAs Alain Therrien, a former Bloc Québécois MP; Nicolas Marceau, Quebec’s finance minister from 2012 to 2014; and former Montreal city councillor Elsie Lefebvre. Several former municipal leaders have also entered provincial politics, including former Rouyn-Noranda mayor Diane Dallaire, former Sherbrooke mayor Bernard Sévigny, former Sainte-Marie-Salomé mayor Véronique Venne and former Amos mayor Sébastien D’Astous. Some could take on significant portfolios as Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon prepares to form his minority government on Wednesday.

17 October
Le beau problème de PSPP
The beautiful problem of PSPP
La Presse columnist Michel C. Auger says PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon faces the challenge of managing a talented but largely inexperienced caucus as he prepares to govern Quebec. Of the party’s 59 elected MNAs, 50 have no parliamentary experience, prompting the PQ to bring in political veterans, including former premier Pauline Marois, to help prepare them for their new roles. Auger says PSPP must find meaningful responsibilities for his members while striking a balance between advancing his sovereignist agenda and governing for all Quebecers, including those who did not vote for him. He questions the premier-designate’s growing focus on abolishing monarchical institutions, arguing that the issue is largely symbolic and would generate little financial benefit. With a sovereignty referendum promised after Donald Trump leaves office in 2029, Auger believes the government should concentrate on more pressing concerns in the meantime, particularly homelessness, which has spread beyond major cities and requires urgent action. He adds addressing the needs of Quebec’s most vulnerable citizens would be a far more meaningful first priority for the new PQ government than eliminating symbols of the monarchy.
Libman: Five doable suggestions for PSPP’s first 100 days
Here’s how the premier-designate can show he is genuine about his overtures to his “English-speaking friends in Quebec.”
…if PSPP would like to prove that he is genuine — “authentic,” as he often calls himself — and really wants to make friends in the English-speaking community, there are a few gestures he might consider. Short of scrapping much of Bill 96, which is not in the cards, here are my five realistic suggestions for his first 100 days. They start with walking back certain CAQ initiatives and in no way would weaken French language protections:
– Guarantee through Élections Québec that voter information and mailings will always be available in both of Canada’s official languages, a position he defended during the campaign anyway.
– Proactively drop the government’s appeal to the Supreme Court of Bill 40, the law replacing school boards with service centres.
– Rescind the dramatic tuition hikes for Montreal’s English universities
– Resurrect the Dawson College expansion project and new pavilion. Intended to house health programs including nursing and radiation oncology, and a clinic, it was suddenly scrapped by the CAQ saying French colleges were its priority before adding capacity to Dawson.
– …rethink his plan to prohibit access to English CEGEPs for non-“historic-anglos.” …

10 October
‘Don’t take anything for granted’ when it comes to Quebec’s appetite for a referendum
History shows the temperature can change swiftly when it comes to sovereignty, Pablo Rodriguez says.
(Montreal Gazette) … “That thing, the referendum, went from the project of a political party with limited means to the project and the mandate of the government of Quebec,” Rodriguez said, referring to the momentum of Quebec’s independence movement in the 1990s. “We almost lost a country in 1995.”
“I’m not sure we’re going to have a referendum, but don’t take anything for granted,” Rodriguez told hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand in this week’s episode of The Corner Booth.

6 October
‘The best of the worst’: Quebec anglo leaders react to PQ minority victory
By Aaron Derfel
The Parti Québécois’ minority victory brought a mix of anxiety and relief among Quebec’s English-speaking community, according to a watch party at TALQ’s office in Montreal. Members initially feared the PQ had won a majority, which would have cleared the way for its promised independence referendum, but the confirmed minority result eased those concerns. Sylvia Martin-Laforge said the group would take premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon at his word after he said he was willing to work with the English-speaking community. “We will reach out to the leaders of all the political parties so that they all have a better understanding of the concerns of the English-speaking community,” Martin-Laforge added.
Eastern Townships election results as PQ set to form minority government
The Parti Québécois won Richmond, Saint-François, Granby and Daniel-Johnson in Quebec’s Oct. 5 election, while Liberal Leader Charles Milliard captured Orford and Fred Beauchemin won Brome-Missisquoi as the PQ was projected to form a minority government.
Québec solidaire held Sherbrooke with Stéphanie Vachon’s victory, and Conservative Jimmy Gagnon won Mégantic. The Coalition Avenir Québec did not win any of those eight ridings.
‘ ‘Stop being a hostage to the Liberal party,’ Duhaime tells anglos as Conservatives break through
Vows to shrink government and block referendum after election-night triumph.
The Quebec Conservatives achieved their first major electoral breakthrough Monday, electing 19 MNAs, including leader Éric Duhaime, and positioning themselves as a potentially influential force in Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s minority PQ government. Duhaime celebrated the result as a historic victory and said his party would work with the PQ on measures such as cutting bureaucracy, reducing taxes and shrinking government, but drew a firm line at supporting a sovereignty referendum. The Conservatives’…19 seats exceeded the party’s goal of 12 needed for official party status and expanded its reach beyond the Quebec City region into areas including the Eastern Townships. … With the PQ just short of a majority, the Conservatives could hold significant influence over legislation in the new minority legislature.