Full Breakdown
PQ Seeks Recount in Montreal’s Vachon Riding After 10-Vote Defeat
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
The Parti Québécois (PQ) has formally requested a judicial recount in the Vachon riding on Montreal’s south-shore after its candidate Stephan Fogaing trailed Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika by just ten votes, according to Élections Québec. The recount request follows the preliminary tally that gave the Liberals 10,063 votes to the PQ’s 10,053.
Background & Context
The Vachon result is one of several razor-thin margins in the provincial election. With 59 seats secured, the PQ needs 64 to command a majority in the National Assembly. PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said the narrow loss could determine whether the party moves from 59 to 60 seats, a step that would bring it closer to that threshold.
Official Statements & Responses
In a separate riding, Québec solidaire candidate Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who had initially claimed a 39-vote deficit, later announced that the margin had been corrected to 275 votes in favor of Liberal Benoît Clermont, and he accepted the outcome.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The final vote count completed yesterday by the returning officer…. revealed a major calculation error in the votes cast in favour of Benoît Clermont,” — Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, former Québec solidaire MNA for Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne
What’s Next
The recount will be conducted by the provincial elections agency, which will review the original ballot sheets and any reported irregularities. If the recount alters the Vachon margin, the PQ could gain an additional seat, potentially influencing coalition dynamics as the party seeks to close the gap toward a majority. The final outcome is expected once the recount is completed and certified.