Liberal minority government elected in Quebec
{{date|March 27, 2007}}
{{Canada}}

According to preliminary official results, [[w:Jean Charest|Jean Charest]]'s [[w:Quebec Liberal Party|Parti libéral du Québec]] have won a minority government in today's [[w:Quebec general election, 2007|Quebec general election]] with 48 seats in total. The [[w:Action démocratique du Québec|Action démocratique du Québec]] (ADQ) are currently in second with 41 seats, the [[w:Parti Québécois|Parti Québécois]] (PQ) are in third place with 36 seats. About 63 seats are required for a majority government in Quebec. The Quebec Liberals won 76 seats in the [[w:Quebec general election, 2003|2003 election]].

Premier Jean Charest, 48, won a close race for his seat in [[w:Sherbrooke (electoral district)|Sherbrooke]], despite having already been declared defeated by a PQ candidate. Quebec's chief electoral officer telephoned the premier to relay the news that he had retained his seat. [[w:Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC's]] French language network ''[[w:Télévision de Radio-Canada|Télévision de Radio-Canada]]'' indicated the initial results were erroneous.

The ADQ have won well over the seats needed for them to have official party status. In the [[w:Quebec general election, 2003|2003 Quebec election]] they won a total of 4 seats, and would have needed 8 more seats to obtain party status. In the 2003 election, the ADQ garnered 21% of the vote. If the results of the 2007 election holds, with 31% of the vote for the ADQ, it would represent a significant gain for the party.

The Liberal campaign, under Charest's leadership, stumbled in the latter stages of the campaign when Charest allotted a $700 million windfall, in the form of a transfer from the federal Conservative government, to tax cuts for Quebecers. The move to apply the money so quickly to tax cuts during the campaign, resonated with some as a cynical move to buy votes, and may have harmed the Liberal chances.

The results represent a substantial drop in fortune for the PQ, which entered the election with 45 seats. It is expected that PQ leader [[w:André Boisclair|André Boisclair]] may be forced to resign the leadership.

This is the first minority government in Quebec in more than 100 years since the year 1878. Compared to the 2003 election, voter turnout is up by approximately 3%, according to Elections Quebec.

Stay with Wikinews for the latest updates. If you have more information to add to this news event, click the "edit this page" link at the top on the page.

===Seats won by party===
[[Image:Parti libéral du Québec.jpg|right|thumb|Parti libéral du Québec - Quebec Liberal Party.]]
[[Image:Charrest.jpg|right|thumb|Jean Charest has been re-elected as 29th premier of Quebec.]]
[[Image:Quebec-map.png|right|thumb|A map showing the location of Quebec in Canada.]]
{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Quebec Liberal Party|Parti libéral du Québec]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|[[w:Jean Charest|Jean Charest]]||125||48||33.08%
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Action démocratique du Québec|Action démocratique du Québec]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|[[w:Mario Dumont|Mario Dumont]]||125||41||30.80%
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Parti Québécois|Parti Québécois]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|[[w:André Boisclair|André Boisclair]]||125||36||28.33%
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Québec solidaire|Québec solidaire]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|[[w:Régent Séguin|Régent Séguin]]||123||0||3.65%
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Green Party of Quebec|Parti vert du Québec]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|[[w:Scott McKay|Scott McKay]]||108||0||3.89%
|-
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+'''[[w:Independent (politician)|Independent]]'''
|-
!Party leader
!Candidates
!Seats won
!Percentage
|-
|None||28||0||0.12%
|-
|}

==Related news==
*{{Wikinews|title=Muslims told not to wear veils when they vote in Quebec|date=March 24, 2007}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Parti Québécois leader slams radio host on homophobia|date=March 2, 2007}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Liberals in Quebec gain support over separatist Parti Québécois|date=February 27, 2007}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.cbc.ca/canada/quebecvotes2007/story/2007/03/26/qv-liberals20070326.html
|title=Liberal minority government elected in Quebec
|author=
|pub=CBC News
|date=March 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-03-27T014324Z_01_N24279493_RTRIDST_0_CANADA-QUEBEC-ELECTION-COL.XML
|title=Liberals lose majority in Quebec election: CBC TV
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=March 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.ca/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-03-27T034252Z_01_N24279493_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-QUEBEC-ELECTION-COL.XML
|title=Quebec election chief says premier retains seat
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=March 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/electionsQc2007/2007/03/26/061-silatendance.shtml
|title=Libéral et minoritaire
|author=
|pub=Télévision de Radio-Canada
|date=March 26, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6495189.stm
|title=Heavy loss for Quebec separatists
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=March 27, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aTTGN8KtEoyE&refer=canada
|title=Quebec Premier Charest Loses Majority in Elections (Update3)
|author=Theophilos Argitis and Frederic Tomesco
|pub=Bloomberg L.P.
|date=March 27, 2007}}
{{wikipediapar|Quebec general election, 2007}}

==External links==
*[http://www.monvote.qc.ca/en/index.asp Elections du Québec]

{{publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}

[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Quebec]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Elections in Canada]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Jean Charest]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada]]

[[fr:Le Québec s'achemine vers un gouvernement minoritaire en sièges à l'Assemblée nationale]]
According to preliminary official results, Jean Charest's Parti libéral du Québec have won a minority government in today's Quebec general election with 48 seats in total. The Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) are currently in second with 41 seats, the Parti Québécois (PQ) are in third place with 36 seats. About 63 seats are required for a majority government in Quebec. The Quebec Liberals won 76 seats in the 2003 election.

Premier Jean Charest, 48, won a close race for his seat in Sherbrooke, despite having already been declared defeated by a PQ candidate. Quebec's chief electoral officer telephoned the premier to relay the news that he had retained his seat. CBC's French language network Télévision de Radio-Canada indicated the initial results were erroneous.

The ADQ have won well over the seats needed for them to have official party status. In the 2003 Quebec election they won a total of 4 seats, and would have needed 8 more seats to obtain party status. In the 2003 election, the ADQ garnered 21% of the vote. If the results of the 2007 election holds, with 31% of the vote for the ADQ, it would represent a significant gain for the party.

The Liberal campaign, under Charest's leadership, stumbled in the latter stages of the campaign when Charest allotted a $700 million windfall, in the form of a transfer from the federal Conservative government, to tax cuts for Quebecers. The move to apply the money so quickly to tax cuts during the campaign, resonated with some as a cynical move to buy votes, and may have harmed the Liberal chances.

The results represent a substantial drop in fortune for the PQ, which entered the election with 45 seats. It is expected that PQ leader André Boisclair may be forced to resign the leadership.

This is the first minority government in Quebec in more than 100 years since the year 1878. Compared to the 2003 election, voter turnout is up by approximately 3%, according to Elections Quebec.

Stay with Wikinews for the latest updates. If you have more information to add to this news event, click the "edit this page" link at the top on the page.


+'Action démocratique du Québec'

Party leader

Candidates

Seats won

Percentage

Mario Dumont

125

41

30.80%


+'Parti Québécois'

Party leader

Candidates

Seats won

Percentage

André Boisclair

125

36

28.33%


+'Québec solidaire'

Party leader

Candidates

Seats won

Percentage

Régent Séguin

123

0

3.65%


+'Parti vert du Québec'

Party leader

Candidates

Seats won

Percentage

Scott McKay

108

0

3.89%


+'Independent'

Party leader

Candidates

Seats won

Percentage

None

28

0

0.12%
North America Canada Quebec Elections Elections in Canada Politics and conflicts Jean Charest Liberal Party of Canada