Separatist party wins Quebec provincial election after twelve years

Quebec's separatist Parti Québécois has won the provincial election held on October 5, returning to power for the first time since 2014. Party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon will now form the next government. He has promised to hold a vote on Quebec independence during his first term, but says it will not happen before 2029. The previous government, led by Christine Frechette, lost after voters grew unhappy with rising living costs and a weak health system. Her Coalition Avenir Quebec party had governed since 2018. Quebec is a mainly French-speaking province that has debated independence from Canada for decades. The election took place while Canada and the United States were in a trade dispute.