Parti Québécois
Quebec sovereigntist party, founded October 11, 1968 by René Lévesque from the merger of the Mouvement Souveraineté-Association (founded by Lévesque in 1967 after leaving the Quebec Liberals) and the Ralliement national. Formed government five times: René Lévesque (1976-1985, hosted the 1980 sovereignty referendum, lost 60-40), Jacques Parizeau-Lucien Bouchard (1994-1996), Bouchard-Bernard Landry (1996-2003, hosted the 1995 referendum, lost 50.58-49.42), Pauline Marois (2012-2014, the first woman Premier of Quebec), and a recent minority. Held official-party status leading into the 2026 election with three seats but polling in first place. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon became leader October 9, 2020 and has committed to holding a Quebec sovereignty referendum within a first PQ mandate if his party forms government.
Leader
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon
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Positions on Issues
Federalism & Quebec
The Parti Québécois is the legislative arm of the Quebec sovereignty movement. Founded in 1968 by René Lévesque, it held the two referendums on sovereignty in 1980 (40.4 percent Yes) and 1995 (49.4 percent Yes). Current leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has committed to holding a third referendum within a first PQ mandate if elected. Defends the Civil Code, Bill 101, and asymmetric federalism within Canada until such a vote.
Source ↗Housing
The Parti Québécois favours strengthened rent control with public ceiling-rates set by the Régie du logement (now the Tribunal administratif du logement), opposes short-term rental platforms operating outside provincial licensing under Bill 25 (2023), supports new public social-housing construction through the AccèsLogis program, and pushes for full provincial jurisdiction over the federal Housing Accelerator Fund disbursements in Quebec.
Source ↗Languages & Bilingualism
The Parti Québécois introduced the Charter of the French Language (loi 101) in 1977 under René Lévesque, requiring French-only commercial signage and French-language schooling for most children. The PQ supports the CAQ's Bill 96 (2022) which strengthened Bill 101's reach to small businesses and capped English-CEGEP enrolment, and has called for further extension to federally regulated workplaces in Quebec under the federal Use of French Act.
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