Canada's Election Could Become a Three-Way Race
New polling shows CAQ support surging under new premier Christine Fréchette. October Quebec election shaping up as wide-open contest.
Quebec's October election could be a three-way race, according to new polling that suggests support is returning to the Coalition Avenir Québec under new premier Christine Fréchette.
The Léger/Québecor poll released this week shows the Parti Québécois leading, but with the CAQ climbing back into contention. The shift marks a significant realignment in provincial politics. For months, the sovereignty movement appeared ascendant. Now the establishment centrist party is regaining ground.
Fréchette's appointment as CAQ leader has reset expectations. She's seen as a fresh face, less tied to the old regime. Early numbers suggest voters are giving her and the CAQ a second look.
For Montreal, a three-way race means the city becomes even more of a battleground. The Liberals, who've traditionally held Montreal ridings, are largely absent from the three-way conversation, leaving room for the CAQ to pick up federalist votes. It's a reminder that Quebec politics moves fast, and what looks settled in May can shift dramatically by October.