Quebec votes in provincial election as separatist surge poses test for Canada’s PM Carney

Quebec residents recently cast their votes in a provincial election, with the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ) displaying a surge in popularity. This outcome could test Prime Minister Mark Carney's message of national unity amid tensions with the United States. Carney, who is popular in Quebec, has not faced criticism for his stance against U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies and threats of annexation.

The PQ's resurgence, after a 12-year absence, stems from concerns over affordability and the protection of the French language in a predominantly anglophone nation.

If the PQ secures a majority in the 127-member assembly, PQ leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon, also known as PSPP, would become Quebec's next premier. He expressed mixed emotions after voting, describing himself as both "on edge and serene." Pre-election polls indicated that the PQ held around 30 percent support, which, in a first-past-the-post electoral system, could lead to a majority government in Quebec.

PSPP outlined his plans to call a referendum on Quebec's separation from Canada if elected, but he emphasized that this would not occur while Trump remains in office. He further stated that any decision on Quebec's independence should be based on an "informed and calm debate," and ruled out a referendum before 2029. The province has held two previous votes on independence, with federalists winning in 1980 and the 1995 vote being exceptionally close, with a 50.58 percent majority in favor of remaining in Canada.

The Quebec election occurs amid a tense political period. Carney leads a Liberal government with broad support, and many Canadians credit him for his opposition to Trump. However, Alberta's oil-rich province will hold a non-binding vote on independence this month. PSPP's plans to target the British monarchy have gained significant popularity, with 87 percent of Quebecers expressing no attachment to the monarchy, and only 31 percent viewing King Charles favorably.

PSPP proposed reallocating the lieutenant governor's budget to combat homelessness, a plan that many residents, like 80-year-old voter Pasquale Zgambatte, support. Zgambatte expressed his discontent with British royals in Canada, stating, "If we’re a country, Canada, then we have nothing to do with England."