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From the PQ, CAQ and QS to the Liberals and Conservatives, here’s your guide ahead of Oct. 5’s provincial vote
Election day is approaching in Quebec , where a crowded race could make winning a majority of the 127 seats up for grabs challenging for any party on the ballot.
None of the five main parties have polled higher than 30 per cent, but in a divided political landscape, the Parti Québécois now appears likely to form government – and potentially even a majority – despite a promise of a sovereignty referendum most Quebeckers don’t want. Which parties are in the running, who are their leaders and what do they stand for? Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know before Quebeckers head to the polls on Monday.
When is the 2026 Quebec election? The Quebec provincial election will take place on Monday, Oct. 5. Where to vote in the Quebec election Polling stations will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on election day. To find the closest polling station, enter your address on Elections Quebec’s website.
How many seats are needed for a majority in the National Assembly of Quebec? There are 127 members of the National Assembly of Quebec, meaning a party must win 64 seats to form a majority government. Your guide to the major parties, leaders and platforms Parti Québécois Leader: Paul St-Pierre Plamondon Current seats: 7 Primary base: Sovereigntists Four years ago, the Parti Québécois was on the verge of extinction when it won just three seats in the legislature.
Though the party has now been leading in the polls for the better part of three years, its support has been limited by its promise to hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty that most people don’t want. Still, the separatist party could now be on the cusp of winning a majority government . That’s not because there’s been a groundswell of separatist sentiment, but because the sovereignty question hasn’t played a large role in this election.
Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third referendum on independence in a first mandate – but not until U.S. President Donald Trump is out of office – and tamped down his separatist rhetoric for an electorate nervous about the trade war. Neither of the three main parties that oppose a separation vote have managed to rally the anti-referendum forces behind them, and regional divisions favour the PQ.
Vote-splitting could mean Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon’s party wins a majority without ever having polled above 30 per cent during the campaign, the lowest vote share in Quebec history for a majority government. Coalition Avenir Québec Leader: Christine Fréchette Current seats: 79 Primary base: Older francophones who don’t want a separation referendum In the weeks after the election was called in August, the governing Coalition Avenir Québec seemed to be making a comeback under the leadership of Christine Fréchette , who positioned herself as a safe bet during an escalating trade war with the United States.
But weak debate performances and a change-hungry electorate have taken the wind out of her sails. Three polls in late September showed support for the CAQ slipping below 20 per cent, and the party seems to be fighting for survival instead of a third mandate. The CAQ won its first government in 2018, promising a new brand of nationalism that didn’t include a referendum on separation, and blowing up a political landscape defined for decades by the sovereignty debate.
But now, the baggage of the CAQ’s eight years in power is weighing on the campaign, and Ms. Fréchette has struggled to distance herself from former Premier François Legault, who stepped down earlier this year after his support collapsed . Quebec Liberal Party Leader: Charles Milliard Current seats: 18 Primary base: Non-francophone federalists, largely in and around Montreal The opposition Liberals were once the only viable choice for Quebeckers who didn’t wish to separate, but since the emergence of the nationalist CAQ in 2018, the party has had stiff competition for its federalist base.
The centre-right party is unlikely to win this election, but could retain its Official Opposition status. Leader Charles Milliard has been trying to make a comeback since inheriting the party from Pablo Rodriguez in February, but the Liberals remain stubbornly unpopular among francophones, particularly outside Montreal. Mr. Milliard has cast his party as the only federalist option, attacked the CAQ’s record and warned the PQ’s separation referendum promise is “risky” given the trade war.
But the anti-Trump campaign playbook that proved so successful for the federal Liberals hasn’t found the same traction in Quebec. Mr. Milliard also hasn’t come out too strongly on questions of nationalism and identity, and has been hesitant to criticize the CAQ’s Bill 21 – which restricts public servants from wearing religious symbols at work – or to rock the boat on minority language rights, of which the party has traditionally been a staunch defender.
Conservative Party of Quebec Leader: Éric Duhaime Current seats: 1 Primary base: Right-leaning voters, particularly around Quebec City After capturing 13 per cent of the popular vote last election, the Conservatives are now looking to win seats in the legislature for the first time. Led by Éric Duhaime, the newcomer party drummed up support by railing against pandemic public-health restrictions in 2022.
Today, Mr. Duhaime has recast his party as a sober watchdog fighting to protect taxpayers from state overspending, promising “historic” tax cuts , more private health care and an end to Quebec’s carbon price. Mr. Duhaime is hoping to hold the balance of power and has promised that he would “block any referendum project” if his party succeeds.
His strong campaign has mostly focused on the Quebec City region, where there is at least some genuine excitement about the prospect of a Conservative caucus in the National Assembly for the first time. Québec Solidaire Leader: Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti Current seats: 11 Primary base: Urban progressives The left-leaning Québec Solidaire is working to hold on to the handful of seats it holds in urban ridings and control the balance of power if another party fails to win a majority.
Formed in 2006, the sovereigntist party hopes that its progressive policy proposals can still gain traction with federalist voters at a challenging time for left-wing parties. Co-spokespersons Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti have touted their signature promises – a wealth tax and publicly-run grocery stores – during this campaign, and the party is expected to win a handful of seats. But QS will likely be limited to urban ridings in Montreal and Quebec City. With reports from Maura Forrest and Eric Andrew-Gee.
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