Quebec party promising independence referendum wins in Canada

Supporters of Quebec independence have won the provincial elections in Canada. The Parti Québécois, led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, is returning to power after more than a decade's break and promises to again put to a vote the question of the province leaving Canada.

According to preliminary results of the October 5 election, the Parti Québécois won 59 seats in the National Assembly of Quebec and about 28% of the vote. As Global News reports, the party will form a minority government.

It fell short of an outright majority by a few seats. According to Quebec broadcaster 98.5 / Planète, the Quebec Liberal Party won 40 seats and will become the official opposition, the Conservatives - 19, and Québec solidaire - nine.

One of the main consequences of the election will be the return to the agenda of the issue of Quebec independence. Plamondon repeatedly stated during the campaign that if he came to power, he would hold a third referendum on the sovereignty of the French-speaking province.

He stressed that this promise would apply even in the case of a minority government. In September, the Parti Québécois leader told Global News that the lack of a parliamentary majority does not change his intentions regarding a referendum.

At the same time, the independence vote is not planned to be held immediately. Plamondon previously said that a referendum would not take place as long as Donald Trump remains US president. During the election campaign, the Parti Québécois aimed to hold the vote in 2029.

Thus, the new Quebec government will first have to work in a parliament where it has no majority and will need the support of other political forces to pass laws.

The Parti Québécois victory marks a major political comeback. In the previous provincial elections, the party was far from being able to form a government, while Coalition Avenir Québec governed Quebec for eight years.

In this election, the ruling party suffered a crushing defeat. Its leader, Christine Fréchette, also failed to keep her own seat in parliament.

Quebec has held two referendums on independence from Canada - in 1980 and 1995. In both cases, supporters of separation lost, but in 1995 the result was extremely close.

The current Parti Québécois victory does not in itself mean that Quebec will leave Canada. For that, independence supporters must first hold a referendum and gain the support of a majority of the province's voters.

Based on materials from: Global News, Global News, 98.5 / Planète