2012 Quebec general election

2012 Quebec general election
Election name	2012 Quebec general election
Country	Canada
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2008 Quebec general election
Previous year	2008
Next election	2014 Quebec general election
Next year	2014
Seats for election	125 seats in the National Assembly of Quebec
Majority seats	63
Election date	September 4, 2012

2012 Quebec general election was held on September 4, 2012, to elect members to the National Assembly of Quebec. The vote resulted in a change of power, with the Parti Québécois forming a minority administration under leader Pauline Marois, replacing the incumbent Jean Charest and his Quebec Liberal Party. The election occurred against the backdrop of mass mobilizations, institutional controversies, and shifting public opinion that involved key actors such as Cégep de Saint-Laurent, Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante, CSQ, and media institutions like Radio-Canada.

Background

The election was called by Premier Jean Charest after losing a non-confidence motion connected to the resignation of cabinet minister Ernest Shonekan and controversy over the sale of federal assets, intersecting with events involving Charbonneau Commission investigations into construction industry corruption and ties to municipal politics in Montreal. The period saw widespread student protests linked to the 2012 Quebec student protests and strikes by unions including the Confédération des syndicats nationaux and the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, which engaged actors such as Campus Police and attracted responses from institutions like Supreme Court of Canada in relation to demonstration rights. Provincial fiscal debates referenced federal transfers from Government of Canada and relations with the Premiers of Canada in meetings concerning health transfers and infrastructure funding.

Parties and Leaders

Major parties contesting included the incumbent Quebec Liberal Party led by Jean Charest, the Parti Québécois under Pauline Marois, and the third-party Coalition Avenir Québec headed by François Legault. Smaller parties and figures included the sovereigntist Option nationale leader François Bédard and leaders from the Green Party of Quebec, the Québec solidaire co-spokespersons Françoise David and Amir Khadir, and the sovereigntist veteran Mario Dumont had previously influenced the field through the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec. Campaign organization drew on staff with experience from elections involving Elections Canada, Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec, and campaign strategists who had worked on contests such as the 2008 Quebec general election and municipal races in Ville de Québec and Montréal.

Campaign and Key Issues

The campaign agenda was dominated by fiscal policy disputes framed around debt and deficits tied to reports from the Institut de la statistique du Québec and recurring debates over public-sector wages involving unions like the CSN and the FTQ. Corruption scandals spotlighted the Charbonneau Commission and prompted policy pledges on procurement reform referencing municipal inquiries in Montreal and infrastructure projects such as those connected to the Métro de Montréal. The student movement and tuition policy invoked organizations like the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante and linked to past legal rulings from institutions such as the Court of Appeal of Quebec. Sovereignty and constitutional matters featured references to the Quebec sovereignty movement and historical accords like the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord as background for debates about provincial autonomy. Other contentious topics included natural resources managed near regions like Abitibi-Témiscamingue and debates on hydroelectric projects associated with Hydro-Québec.

Opinion Polling

Polling during the campaign was conducted by firms and media outlets including Angus Reid Institute, Léger Marketing, Ipsos-Reid, CBC/Radio-Canada, and private consultancies active in provincial contests such as Harris-Decima. Polls tracked support for leaders Pauline Marois, Jean Charest, and François Legault, with regional breakdowns showing strength for different parties in regions like Montérégie, Outaouais, Laurentides, and Capitale-Nationale. Polling methodologies referenced historical trends from the 2008 Quebec general election and demographic shifts identified by the Institut de la statistique du Québec, while debates over polling accuracy recalled national controversies involving Elections Canada and provincial chief electoral officers.

Election Results

The results produced a minority administration: the Parti Québécois won the most seats, enabling Pauline Marois to become Premier, while the Quebec Liberal Party under Jean Charest moved to opposition. The Coalition Avenir Québec emerged as a significant third force with leader François Legault influencing post-election negotiations. Seat distributions reflected regional variations with gains and losses across constituencies in Montreal, Québec City, Laval, and Sherbrooke, and voter turnout figures were reported by the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec. The outcome affected representation of elected figures such as newly elected MNAs who had backgrounds in municipal politics in Longueuil and activism tied to organizations like Québec solidaire.

Aftermath and Government Formation

Following the vote, Pauline Marois formed a minority cabinet and negotiated legislative priorities while interacting with institutions such as the National Assembly of Quebec and stakeholder groups including unions CSN and FTQ and municipal authorities from Montréal and Laval. The result prompted resignations and leadership reviews within parties, affecting figures who had stood in the campaign and prompting comparisons to earlier provincial transitions like the change from Robert Bourassa to Daniel Johnson Jr.. Judicial and administrative responses involved reviews by bodies such as the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec and inquiries that referenced the ongoing work of the Charbonneau Commission. The minority status set the stage for subsequent political developments leading up to the 2014 Quebec general election.

Category:2012 elections in Canada