Parti Québécois faces drop in support for sovereignty amid Trump threats

The PQ party has been leading in the polls for more than a year, and leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third referendum by 2030 if his party forms government.

With Canadians – and even Quebecers – rallying around the flag in the face of threats from the Trump administration, the sovereigntist Parti Québécois is struggling to find its footing.

The Quebec opposition party has been leading in the polls for more than a year, and leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a third referendum by 2030 if his party forms government in next year’s election.

But U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and annexation have shaken up the political landscape in Quebec. Support for independence is suddenly lower than it has been in years, raising questions about whether the PQ needs to pivot away from sovereignty.

For now, the party insists it’s staying the course. “We believe it’s something that inspires Quebecers to have people who are faithful to their convictions and their values,” Pascal Paradis, a PQ member of the national assembly, said in a recent interview.

He said it’s interesting to see Canadian leaders defend the country’s sovereignty “tooth and nail” against Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st state. He compared the wave of nationalism to Quebec’s own independence movement, questioning why it’s “good for Canada but not for Quebec.”

“We will stay true to our message,” he said.

That could make the PQ vulnerable. A recent Léger poll found support for Quebec independence had dipped to 29 per cent. Executive vice-president Sébastien Dallaire said that’s around the lowest level of support the polling firm has ever measured.

“It’s clearly related to the current context of increased patriotism in Canada, an increased feeling that we need to stick together and stand up to the United States,” he said.