By David Ljunggren
Oct 5 (Reuters) – A separatist party won Quebec’s election on Monday, public broadcaster Radio-Canada said, a result which could make it tougher for Prime Minister Mark Carney to maintain national unity against U.S. President Donald Trump.
Radio-Canada said early results made it clear that the predominantly French-speaking province of 9 million people had opted for the Parti Quebecois of Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, who is promising to hold a referendum on splitting away from Canada once Trump leaves office.
But it was too early to say whether the party – which last held power in 2014 – had won a majority of the 127 seats in the provincial legislature, the broadcaster added.
The result, which was widely expected, reflects voter fatigue with the center-right Coalition Avenir Quebec government, which had been in office since 2018, analysts said.
Carney, who has stressed the need for a united front to deal with Trump’s tariffs, must now work with a Quebec premier who is determined to break up Canada.
Previous PQ governments held failed independence votes in 1980 and 1995 and polls indicate support for the idea of breaking with Canada is at 30%, near record lows.
Plamondon, citing the political uncertainty and economic damage done by the tariffs, says he will not call another referendum until Trump is out of White House. He also says he will work with Ottawa whenever it suits Quebec’s interests.
But some PQ policies – such as resisting any federal bid to boost immigration levels, vowing to cut Quebec’s ties to the British monarchy and promising to block a proposed high-speed high-profile rail line linking Quebec with Ontario – could well increase tensions with the prime minister.
Earlier in the day, Carney told reporters he would work with whoever Quebec chose as its next premier.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Caroline Stauffer)
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