The Parti Québécois declared that it will not pursue a referendum on Quebec independence for the duration of Donald Trump’s presidency, effectively delaying any such vote until after Jan. 20, 2029.
Party leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon revealed the stance in a social media post on Monday, arguing that the province’s future requires conditions conducive to an informed and serene civic debate. In his remarks, St-Pierre Plamondon warned against letting the issue be overtaken by external political turbulence.
"It must not be hijacked by the upheavals of American politics, nor by the outbursts of an unpredictable president, nor by fear campaigns," St-Pierre Plamondon said.
The announcement comes as the Parti Québécois leads in polls ahead of Quebec’s Oct. 5 election. St-Pierre Plamondon reiterated that, if the party wins and forms a government, it will consult Quebecers on the question of independence during its first term - a pledge he has maintained for six years.
Beyond the referendum timeline, St-Pierre Plamondon outlined a domestic agenda for a PQ government that centers on several pressing provincial challenges. He said the party would address homelessness, the cost-of-living crisis, housing shortages and the management of public services. The platform includes plans to pare back bureaucracy and to work toward restoring public confidence in Quebec institutions following what the party characterizes as scandals involving public funds.
St-Pierre Plamondon also made clear that the decision to delay a referendum is not an absolute bar to advancing separatist objectives. He noted that a PQ government could still pursue elements of a separatist agenda prior to 2029, even as it refrains from calling a referendum while the current U.S. presidency continues.
According to St-Pierre Plamondon, the unpredictable nature of the American administration would damage the quality of public discussion on Quebec’s future as a nation, a dynamic the party said it seeks to avoid when deciding on the timing of a referendum.