Quebec on the cusp of electing separatist government promising referendum
Quebec is expected to elect the separatist Parti Québécois, which has promised a referendum on independence after 2029. Despite the party's lead, voter enthusiasm remains low, and the promise of sovereignty is not the primary driver of the election.
Why it matters
A victory for the PQ could reignite long-standing debates over Canadian national unity and constitutional stability.
A supporter holds a flyer featuring the Leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) Paul St-Pierre Plamondon outside the Maison de Radio-Canada in Montreal, Sept. 23. ALEXIS AUBIN/AFP/Getty Images
Quebec appears poised to elect a separatist government for the first time in more than a decade, even though most of the province has little interest in a promised vote on independence.
The Parti Québécois, polls show, will likely take the reins of power from the governing Coalition Avenir Québec on Monday after a lacklustre campaign in which voters expressed a desire for change but little enthusiasm for any of their options.
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