Does not having changed the voting method pay? The result speaks for itself. A Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) that triumphs and wins unequivocally. Did she really run an exemplary campaign? Did she stand out considerably during the debates?
The day after the election, the CAQ found itself strong with a second majority mandate. We wonder where this promise of reform in favor of a more representative system, made four years ago, and which clashed with the proposals of the other candidates, has gone. While the debates revolved around immigration and the environment in 2018, the CAQ stood out with this ambitious proposal. Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon both affirmed the importance of this reform, which, in 2018, brought together the leaders of the opposition parties. The latter had pledged to change the electoral system. Although tabled by the CAQ as soon as it came to power, this Bill 39 was abandoned on the threshold of its adoption.
“Our democratic system is sick. […] Now, how can we trust François Legault, when he broke such an important promise for Quebec democracy? It is clearer than ever, it takes a reform of the voting system. More democracy, that should not scare anyone, ”stated at this time the co-head of Quebec solidaire.
Let us remember that in 2018, the CAQ party put forward a revolutionary electoral promise, which consisted in transforming the voting system into a more “balanced” mode, i.e. a mixed voting system with regional compensation. As the Quebec government website displays, the bill tabled on September 23, 2019 would have made it possible to protect “further the weight of the regions” and allowed “stable governments”. However, when the subject of his abandonment was broached by Patrice Roy, during the leaders’ debate on Radio-Canada, the tone used by Mr. Legault to answer him that the CAQ had other priorities revealed a certain arrogance.
No seat for the Duhaime team
There were also disappointing results for the Conservative Party of Quebec, which had gambled everything trying to attract the vote of the CAQ dissidents. Firmly opposing the questions of the vaccine passport, the caquist management during the pandemic crisis and parental “freedom of choice” in the face of childcare services, its leader, Éric Duhaime, wanted to be able to bring several candidates into Parliament.
He was defeated in Chauveau, and his party got less than 13% of the vote. It should be remembered, however, that this result is considerably higher than that of 2018, when the party obtained a meager 1.46%. We can still see a certain distortion in the percentages of votes, as shown by the latest figures: CAQ 90 candidates in advance (40.98%); PLQ 21 applications in advance (14.37%); QS 11 applications in advance (15.43%); PQ 3 applications in advance (14.61%); PCQ 0 applications in advance (12.91%). The results, after the complete counting of the polling stations, are questionable. To the point where one wonders if the current system is really representative of the voices of the population.
Anticipate, an electoral fashion
Elections Quebec reports that the participation rate is still as low (66.14%). However, almost a quarter of the population has chosen to vote in advance. This wave could be counted quickly, and therefore, from 8:37 p.m., the majority government was announced.
Result: a well-established cynicism
While we try to encourage people to go to the polls, the result remains the same. Quebecers do not vote. Is it for lack of interest? Out of disillusion with a fundamental principle in a democracy that they believe has been flouted? The fact is that participation is not there. This spiral of cynicism overwhelms an electorate whose high absenteeism rates are the highest since 1980.
Despite the many advertising campaigns encouraging Quebecers to vote on October 3, 2022, the low turnout remains. This reform will certainly return to the program of several parties following the results of the last elections, which offered us more questions than answers regarding the voting system and the essential principle of representation. On the strength of this reflection, are we finally going to orchestrate a reform of the voting system or do as the CAQ slogan states: “continue”?