Party System Change in Québec: Evidence from Recent Elections

Abstract

Since the 1990s, provincial elections in Québec have signaled an incremental change in Québec’s party system.  These changes are manifested in increasing voter dealignment and volatility in party support.  In this article we find that these trends largely continued in both the election of 2012, which produced a minority government and in the 2014 election that resulted in a majority government.  Taking a longer--‐term perspective, we examine changes in public opinion, party identification, electoral volatility, and voting behavior in Québec Provincial elections since 1998.  The implications for future government formation and the potential impact on policy are examined.