The 2026 Quebec general election, scheduled for October 5, 2026, will determine the composition of the National Assembly of Quebec, the province's unicameral legislature. All 125 seats are up for election, and the party that wins the most seats will form the government, with the leader of that party becoming the Premier of Quebec. This election is significant because it will shape the province's policies on language, immigration, energy, and its relationship with the rest of Canada. The current governing party, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), led by Premier François Legault, is seeking a third consecutive mandate, a feat not achieved by any party since the Liberals in the 1980s. The main opposition parties include the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP), Québec solidaire (QS), and the Parti Québécois (PQ), each with distinct platforms and electoral strategies. The election is set against a backdrop of rising inflation, housing shortages, and debates over secularism and environmental policy. Recent polls indicate a competitive race, with the CAQ and the PQ trading leads, making the outcome uncertain. Political observers are also watching the potential impact of the federal Conservative Party's popularity on provincial dynamics, as well as the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. The 2026 election will test the CAQ's record on healthcare, education, and economic management, and could reshape Quebec's political landscape for years to come. The results will also influence Quebec's stance on constitutional issues and its demands for more autonomy from the federal government. As such, this election is of interest not only to Quebecers but also to observers of Canadian politics and international audiences tracking regional governance and nationalist movements.

Historical Context

Quebec's political history is marked by the rivalry between federalist and sovereignist parties. Since the 1970s, the Parti Québécois (founded 1968) and the Quebec Liberal Party have alternated in power, with the PQ holding referendums on sovereignty in 1980 and 1995, both of which were defeated. The sovereignty movement has since waned, and the CAQ, founded in 2011 by François Legault and Charles Sirois, emerged as a nationalist but non-sovereignist alternative, winning power in 2018. The CAQ's victory broke the two-party dominance, and its 2022 re-election with a larger majority (90 of 125 seats) solidified its position. The 2026 election will be the first since the CAQ's consolidation, and it will test whether the party can maintain its broad coalition of nationalist and conservative voters. Historically, Quebec elections have seen high turnout, with the 2022 election at 66.4%, and the 2018 election at 66.4% as well. The electoral system is first-past-the-post, which has led to disproportional results, such as the CAQ winning 90 seats with 41% of the vote in 2022. The last time a party won three consecutive elections was the Liberal Party under Jean Lesage in 1960, then Robert Bourassa in 1970 and 1973, and again in 1980, but with interruptions. The CAQ's potential third win would be historic, but the party's popularity has declined due to controversies over healthcare and immigration, creating an opening for the opposition.