Parti Québécois says it won’t hold referendum on sovereignty while Trump is president
the Parti Québécois, led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, confirmed at its caucus meeting in Shawinigan that if elected in the October 5, 2026 provincial election, it will still hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty — but not while Donald Trump is U.S. president. The vote would be pushed to after his term ends on January 20, 2029, which Plamondon said would keep it from being “hijacked by the upheavals of American politics” or an “unpredictable president.”
The announcement drew sharp reactions: Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette called it “irresponsible” given existing economic uncertainty, Conservative leader Éric Duhaime raised concerns about U.S. influence on Quebec’s political future, and Liberal leader Charles Milliard dismissed it as a “new trick,” pointing out it just shifts the timeline from 2028 to 2029. The PQ currently leads polls with around 30% support heading into the fall election.
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