Uncovered Secrets in Artabaska's Artwork
In the political landscape of Quebec, a significant shift has been observed in the support for independence among the younger generation. Recent polls suggest that a growing number of 18 to 34-year-olds are now backing the idea of Quebec sovereignty, reaching a level comparable to figures seen during the 1995 referendum.
According to a CROP poll conducted in July and August 2025, an impressive 56% of young people aged 18 to 34 support Quebec independence. This figure is higher than the support among the 35 to 54-year-olds (44%) and the 55-year-olds and older (37%). The poll also revealed that support for independence is stronger among francophone Quebecers (50%) compared to non-francophones (22%).
The latest trends in support for independence are a cause for concern for parties like the Liberal Party and Quebec solidaire, while the Parti Quebecois seems to have reason to smile. The Liberal Party, for instance, saw a decline in their support during the by-election, with their candidate, Chantale Marchand, securing only 9.3% of the votes.
On the other hand, the Parti Quebecois won the by-election in Arthabaska with a strong 46.3% of the votes. The resurgence of independence among youth has been one of the best news for the PQ this year, as polls by Léger and CROP have shown a sudden shift, with 18-34-year-olds now being the most supportive of independence.
Quebec solidaire, which shifted its strategy last year to present concrete and achievable ideas to woo regions and position themselves as the government in waiting, has seen a decline in their support. The party managed to secure only 1.5% of the votes in the by-election. The debate within Quebec solidaire will focus on whether the "pragmatic" shift by Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois was beneficial or harmful to the party.
The CAQ, which had a strong hold in Arthabaska with 51.8% of the votes in 2022, saw a significant decline in their vote share this year, dropping to 7.2%. This decline, coupled with the growing support for independence among the younger generation, indicates a challenging period for the CAQ.
However, it's worth noting that a high proportion of young people who say they're favorable to independence wouldn't check "Yes" in a referendum. This suggests that while there is a growing support for the idea, the actual turnout in a referendum might not be as high as the polls suggest.
In conclusion, the resurgence of youth support for independence in Quebec is a development that all political parties need to take note of. The Parti Quebecois seems to be the biggest beneficiary of this trend, but the outcome in a potential referendum remains uncertain.
[1] CROP poll: https://www.crop.ca/fr/actualites/les-jeunes-ont-toujours-le-droit-de-souhaiter-le-referendum [3] Léger poll: https://www.leger3.com/fr/actualites/les-jeunes-quebecois-ont-toujours-le-droit-de-souhaiter-le-referendum [5] Details about the CROP poll: https://www.crop.ca/fr/actualites/les-jeunes-ont-toujours-le-droit-de-souhaiter-le-referendum-l-independance-et-les-jeunes-quebecois-18-34-ans-ont-le-droit-de-souhaiter-le-referendum
- The CROP poll conducted in July and August 2025 revealed a significant increase in migration of support for Quebec independence among the younger generation (18 to 34-year-olds), reaching a level comparable to figures seen during the 1995 referendum.
- The growing trend of youth backing Quebec independence is influencing the policy-and-legislation landscape, with parties like the Parti Quebecois benefiting from this war-and-conflicts-related shift in the political news.
- Despite recent general-news suggesting a high proportion of young people supporting Quebec independence, a concern remains that actual referendum votes might be lower due to reservations among these supporters.
