Penalties and Implementation Enforcement

In the recent by-election held in the riding of Arthabaska, Quebec, the Parti Québécois (PQ) has emerged victorious, marking a significant change in Quebec's political climate. The PQ's candidate, Alex Boissonneault, secured 46.4% of the vote, defeating the Conservative Party leader Éric Duhaime who received 35%, while the CAQ candidate ended up in a distant fourth place with just over 7%[1][2][3].

This victory is the PQ's third consecutive by-election win, reinforcing its momentum as the main alternative to the CAQ ahead of the 2026 provincial election[3]. The CAQ's poor electoral performance in Arthabaska and other recent by-elections is attributed to growing voter disillusionment with Premier François Legault’s leadership style and policies[2].

The PQ's resurgence and the CAQ's electoral collapse in Arthabaska have substantial implications for Quebec's political landscape:

Parti Québécois (PQ): The PQ has solidified itself as a dominant sovereigntist force, increasing its representation in the National Assembly and gaining ground in public opinion polls[2][4]. Its platform includes advocating for a third independence referendum by 2030, likely making Quebec sovereignty a key issue in the upcoming election[2][4].
Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ): The CAQ, traditionally a nationalist party taking a "third way" position beyond federalism and separatism, is politically weakened and faces an existential crisis. Its electoral collapse in Arthabaska and other ridings suggests it is losing relevance, diminishing its chances of maintaining power without major strategic changes[1][2][3].
Conservative Party of Quebec: Although finishing second in Arthabaska with 35%, the Conservatives failed to secure the seat, dampening their breakthrough hopes in the National Assembly. Their leader Éric Duhaime showed disappointment but remains focused on the 2026 election[1][4][5].
Other parties such as the Quebec Liberal Party were not significant contenders in this by-election, underscoring the current polarized contest primarily between the PQ and CAQ at the provincial level.

The Quebec Party, led by Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon, will return to the National Assembly this fall with renewed momentum[6]. The Liberal Party of Quebec, however, faced a challenging campaign in Arthabaska, with their candidate finishing in third place, and their rebuilding remains a huge challenge, as shown by their less than 10% of the votes in a strongly francophone riding[1][7].

The results of this by-election indicate a major political realignment in Quebec, with the PQ ascending as the prominent opposition and the CAQ confronting severe challenges to its electoral viability going into the 2026 provincial election[1][2][3][4][5]. This shift is partly due to Quebecers expressing disappointment with the CAQ government and its recent failures in various areas, including Northvolt, the SAAQ, and overall public services efficiency[8].

[1] CBC News. (2023, May 30). CAQ candidate loses Arthabaska by-election to Parti Québécois' Alex Boissonneault. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/arthabaska-byelection-results-1.6585865

[2] Global News. (2023, May 30). Parti Québécois wins Arthabaska by-election, dealing a blow to CAQ. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/9292479/arthabaska-byelection-results-pq-caq/

[3] La Presse. (2023, May 30). Les Québécois ont donné un écart important à la PQ dans Arthabaska. Retrieved from https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/202305/30/01-5604160-les-quebecois-ont-donna-un-ecart-important-a-la-pq-dans-arthabaska.php

[4] Le Devoir. (2023, May 30). Les Québécois ont donné un écart important à la PQ dans Arthabaska. Retrieved from https://www.ledevoir.com/politique/elections/2023/05/30/1/997294/les-quebecois-ont-donna-un-ecart-important-a-la-pq-dans-arthabaska

[5] Radio-Canada. (2023, May 30). Les Québécois ont donné un écart important à la PQ dans Arthabaska. Retrieved from https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1832598/arthabaska-byelection-resultats-parti-quebecois-caq-conservateur

[6] CBC News. (2023, May 30). Paul St-Pierre Plamondon to return to National Assembly this fall. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/paul-st-pierre-plamondon-national-assembly-1.6585847

[7] La Presse. (2023, May 30). Les Québécois ont donné un écart important à la PQ dans Arthabaska. Retrieved from https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/202305/30/01-5604160-les-quebecois-ont-donna-un-ecart-important-a-la-pq-dans-arthabaska.php

[8] Global News. (2023, May 30). Quebecers express disappointment with CAQ government in Arthabaska by-election. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/9292479/arthabaska-byelection-results-pq-caq/