Future Quebec Coalition | Legault savors “a historic victory”

(Quebec) It’s not a wave, it’s a CAQ tidal wave that swept over Quebec this time… except in Montreal. François Legault hands down a second majority mandate in the National Assembly, where his domination is even stronger against opposition parties all weakened.

Tommy Chouinard
The Press

He won 41% of the vote and won 90 of the 125 seats, unheard of since Robert Bourassa in 1989 at the time of the PLQ-PQ bipartisanship (50% and 92 seats). It’s a whole CAQ sweep in the context of a broader political offer.

“We got a clear message, a strong message. Tonight, Quebecers told us: let’s continue! “Launched François Legault in front of euphoric activists gathered at the Théâtre Capitole in Quebec.

“It’s a historic victory: we elected the largest number of women in the history of Quebec! A first Aboriginal woman sets foot in parliament, caquiste Kateri Champagne Jourdain, elected in Duplessis (Côte-Nord).

The four other parties share crumbs in the composition of the Chamber. They obtain a similar score, between 13% and 15% each.

The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) clings to its title of official opposition despite a historic low. The Conservatives are barred from parliament, while Éric Duhaime is the only party leader to bite the dust. Québec solidaire (QS) is treading water. The Parti Québécois (PQ) survives with three deputies.

“Quebecers are a great people. And when I say Quebecers form a great people, I am talking about all Quebecers, from all regions, of all ages, of all origins. I will be the Prime Minister of all Quebecers, ”added Mr. Legault, repeating the same message in English.

Quick win

There was no suspense Monday night. Only a few dozen activists and political workers arrived at the Capitol in time to witness the confirmation of the victory, eight short minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.m.

Compared to the situation when the election was called, the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) jumped from 76 to 90 deputies, a gain of 13. It improved its score by about four points, when it had had 37.4% votes in 2018.

Quebec is largely painted in CAQ blue. But an island of two million inhabitants resists the brushstroke.

In Montreal, the CAQ still holds two seats. Chantal Rouleau (Pointe-aux-Trembles) was re-elected and will obviously keep her place around the Cabinet table, and the party won Anjou-Louis-Riel from the Liberals.

For the PLQ, it’s a beating that goes down in history. At 14%, the formation collects 10 points less than four years ago. Compared to the situation at the dissolution of the Chamber, his team is reduced, going from 27 to 21 deputies. Chef Dominique Anglade retains her stronghold, but the results will be painful. The PLQ is confined to Greater Montreal, where it has lost its feathers elsewhere. Only exception: André Fortin is re-elected in Pontiac, in Outaouais.

QS won 11 seats, one more than in 2018. Sherbrooke incumbent Christine Labrie won against star CAQ candidate Caroline St-Hilaire. QS also won in Maurice-Richard, where the CAQ was building hopes with lawyer Audrey Murray, who chaired the Labor Market Partners Commission. On the other hand, François Legault’s party won over QS Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue, while the Horne Foundry file caught national attention.

The PQ is almost wiped off the map. He only elected three deputies. Its leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has his ticket to enter the National Assembly. Pascal Bérubé easily retained Matane-Matapédia, while Joël Arseneau in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine stood up to caquiste Jonathan Lapierre, the local mayor.

The Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) failed to capture at least one riding and maintain its presence in the National Assembly. The victory of outgoing CAQ MP Sylvain Lévesque against Éric Duhaime sparked an explosion of joy at the Théâtre Capitole – one of the strongest of the evening by the way.

Voting system reform

With Monday evening’s result, it is obvious that the debate on a reform of the voting system will be revived.

In his speech, François Legault expressed his intention to “speak individually” with each of the other leaders in order to see “how we can work together for all Quebecers”. “Of course we will still have differences, disagreements, it’s normal, but I want us to work on what unites us,” he said.

The Prime Minister wanted to “clarify” one thing: “all parties are in favor of immigration” and none “reject newcomers”, “contrary to what we see elsewhere”. “Immigration is wealth”, and “integration into our beautiful nation is a mutual gift that we give to each other”. He continued by saying that “the greatest duty of a prime minister” is to “protect the French language”. “Whether we like it or not, the future of French depends a lot on our ability to integrate into French those who have chosen to build their future in Quebec,” he said.

Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Geneviève Guilbault offered the media her own analysis of the results. “People thought that we had managed the pandemic well, thought that there was something ungrateful in the fact of having been somewhat obliged to take care of this instead of taking care of other things. . They want to give us a chance, a full four-year mandate to continue. »

In his eyes, “the signal is clear that the people of the two regions (Quebec and Lévis) want a third link”.

We have to go back to the 1990s to find a political formation, in this case the Parti Québécois, having obtained two majority mandates in a row like François Legault. The Liberal government of Jean Charest, which ruled from 2003 to 2012, had a minority mandate in 2007-2008 between its two majorities in the National Assembly.