Full Breakdown
Parti Québécois MNAs Sworn In Without Oath to the King, Forming a Minority Government
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Fifty-nine newly elected Parti Québécois (PQ) members of the National Assembly (MNAs) took their oaths in mid-October 2026, marking the first occasion a governing party in Quebec has not sworn allegiance to the Canadian monarch. The ceremony followed the PQ’s victory in the early-October election, where it secured 59 of the 125 seats with 28 % of the popular vote, falling short of the 64 seats required for a majority.
Background & Context
The National Assembly eliminated the mandatory oath to the King in 2022 after Premier-designate Paul St-Pierre Plamondon refused to pledge loyalty to the Crown. Prior to this change, some MNAs had taken the oath with crossed fingers or half-heartedly. The PQ’s rise is dramatic: only three PQ members were sworn in after the 2022 election, and the party added four seats in subsequent by-elections before achieving minority status in the latest vote.
Key Figures & Groups
- Paul St-Pierre Plamondon – PQ leader and premier-designate, who led the swearing-in and outlined the government’s agenda.
- Joël Arseneau and Pascal Bérubé – veteran PQ MNAs re-elected in the current term.
- Nicolas Marceau – former finance minister under former premier Pauline Marois, now an MNA for Marie-Victorin.
- Alain Therrien – former Bloc Québécois MP returning to the provincial legislature.
- Charles Milliard – Liberal leader who publicly declined to swear an oath to the King.
Official Statements & Responses
He announced plans to consult opposition parties to keep the legislature functional and asserted that the government would be “masters in our own home.” St-Pierre Plamondon also reiterated a promise to hold a sovereignty referendum after 2029, though he did not address it during the ceremony. Liberal leader Milliard reiterated his “no intention” to swear an oath to the King in a radio interview.
What’s Next
The premier-designate is slated to unveil his cabinet and formally assume office in late October 2026. Opposition parties, including the Liberals, Conservatives, and Québec solidaire, are scheduled to be sworn in the following week. The PQ’s stated timeline includes a sovereignty referendum sometime after 2029, contingent on the departure of U.S. President Donald Trump from the White House.