Montreal never had a chance in the Quebec election — electoral reform is needed

The CAQ won a majority in the 2022 Quebec election last night with 90 seats — 72% of the 125 seats across the province — but with only 41% of the popular vote, one of several reasons why critics are calling for electoral reform.

Conversely, the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ), despite receiving 13% of the popular vote, finished with 0 seats. While the Quebec Liberal Party maintained their Official Opposition status in the National Assembly with 21 seats and 14.37% of the popular vote, Québec Solidaire, which received more votes last night, at 15.43%, only won 11 seats.

Many critics, including various party leaders, have said that under a more fair, proportional electoral system, a party that is elected with a minority of support across the province should not be awarded with a majority government. 

According to Philippe J. Fournier from Qc125, the CAQ never needed Montreal to be re-elected. While some may argue that a provincial party should not be able to get elected without the support of the province’s metropolis, a major problem lies in how the ridings are determined and divided province-wide.

Fournier explains that Montreal is not proportionately represented in the 125 ridings in Quebec “thanks to distortions of the populations by constituency.”

“We could merge the neighbouring ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure, and this new riding would still have fewer inhabitants than 24 ridings in greater Montreal.

“Abitibi-Est and Abitibi-Ouest? Together, they have a smaller population than Mont-Royal-Outremont, Saint-Laurent, D’Arcy-McGee and almost as much as Westmount-St-Louis.”

—Philippe J. Fournier

Abitibi-Est et Abitibi-Ouest? Ensemble, ils n'ont moins d'habitants que Mont-Royal-Outremont, Saint-Laurent, D'Arcy-McGee, presque autant que Westmount-St-Louis.

— Philippe J. Fournier (@338Canada) September 25, 2022

In their election speeches last night, Québec Solidaire leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon both requested that Premier François Legault consider reforming the electoral system in Quebec to make it more representative of the popular vote.

For more on the provincial election, please visit Élections Québec.

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