The separatist Parti Quebecois has won Quebec’s regional elections and will form a new government there, once again raising the possibility of a referendum on independence being held in Canada’s French-speaking province.

Quebec has held two referendums in the past – one in 1980 and another in 1995- with the last narrowly rejecting independence from Canada.

However, PQ claim their short-term priority would be picking the economy up off its knees, instead of pushing for a separation vote straight away.

"It’s very important for me to manage our finances responsibly. That is without doubt why our engagements are the least costly of all parties," Pauline Marois earlier told Canadian media, while outlining a program that sets out new spending at $1 billion over a five year period.

At the same time she stated that she would hold an independence vote "tomorrow morning" if the conditions were right.

The party’s leader, Pauline Marois, will replace head of the Liberal party, Jean Charest, as the province’s leader, becoming Quebec’s first female premier.

The long-ruling Liberal Party’s loss comes after months of student and union protests raging this spring and summer against tuition hikes in the province and the controversial new Bill 78, which restricts mass gatherings in the province.

Protests began in February, resulting in about 2,500 arrests. Tuesday’s vote is seen by many as an echo of this public discontent.


Quebec’s premier-elect Pauline Marois shot at during her acceptance speech

(Video courtesy of Youtube channel BottinQuebec, APTN)

Source: RT