The Americas | Isolated but not independent

Quebec elects François Legault’s fiercely nationalist party

But Montreal remains immune to his pro-Quebec, anti-immigrant rhetoric

Francois Legault, Quebec's premier, speaks during a Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) party election night event in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022. Inflation, acute healthcare problems, climate change and the rise of gun violence in Montreal are issues in play, but immigration and language could always resurface as they are wedge issues in Quebec. Photographer: Christinne Muschi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Oct 6th 2022|Montreal

Is Quebec in or out? With a few brief interludes, the question has dominated the politics of the French-speaking province of Canada for more than half a century. Separatist governments were repeatedly elected, only for the population to shy away from independence when asked to vote in a referendum. With the crushing re-election of François Legault as its premier on October 3rd, the answer seems clear. Quebeckers want a fiercely nationalist provincial government within a united Canada.

This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Isolated but not independent”