Quebec general election, 1985

Last updated
Quebec general election, 1985
Flag of Quebec.svg
  1981 December 2, 1985 1989  

122 seats in the 33rd National Assembly of Quebec
62 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout 75.69%

  First party Second party
  Robert-Bourassa.jpg PQ
Leader Robert Bourassa Pierre-Marc Johnson
Party Liberal Parti Québécois
Leader since October 15, 1983 September 29, 1985
Leader's seat Bertrand (lost re-election) Anjou
Last election 42 seats, 46.07% 80 seats, 49.26%
Seats won 99 23
Seat changeIncrease2.svg57Decrease2.svg57
Popular vote 1,910,307 1,320,008
Percentage 55.99% 38.69%
SwingIncrease2.svg9.92%Decrease2.svg10.57%

Premier before election

Pierre-Marc Johnson
Parti Québécois

Premier-designate

Robert Bourassa
Liberal

The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by Premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.

National Assembly of Quebec single house of the Legislature of Quebec

The National Assembly of Quebec is the legislative body of the province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs. The Queen in Right of Quebec, represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec and the National Assembly compose the Legislature of Quebec, which operates in a fashion similar to those of other Westminster-style parliamentary systems.

Quebec Province of Canada

Quebec is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is bordered to the west by the province of Ontario and the bodies of water James Bay and Hudson Bay; to the north by Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay; to the east by the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador; and to the south by the province of New Brunswick and the U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York. It also shares maritime borders with Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. Quebec is Canada's largest province by area and its second-largest administrative division; only the territory of Nunavut is larger. It is historically and politically considered to be part of Central Canada.

Quebec Liberal Party provincial political party in Quebec, Canada

The Quebec Liberal Party is a federalist provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. It has been independent of the federal Liberal Party of Canada since 1955.

Contents

This election marked the comeback of Robert Bourassa, whose political career had been thought to be over after losing the 1976 general election and resigning as Liberal leader. However, Bourassa personally failed to win his own seat in the Bertrand electoral district, and had to run in a by-election one month later in the safe Saint-Laurent electoral district. The 1985 Quebec general election result produced by far the largest majority of any Canadian legislative election (both in terms of the number of seats and percentage of seats) by a winning party whose leader failed to win his own seat.

Johnson, son of former Union Nationale premier Daniel Johnson Sr. was unable to revive the PQ's fortune after he succeeded René Lévesque as party leader and premier. Pierre-Marc's brother, Daniel Johnson Jr., later became leader of the Liberal Party and briefly served as premier.

Union Nationale (Quebec) former political party in Quebec, Canada

The Union Nationale was a conservative and nationalist provincial political party in Quebec, Canada, that identified with Québécois autonomism. It was created during the Great Depression and held power in Quebec from 1936 to 1939, and from 1944 to 1960 and from 1966 to 1970. The party was founded by Maurice Duplessis, who led it until his death in 1959.

Daniel Johnson Sr. Premier of Quebec

Francis Daniel Johnson Sr.,, was a Quebec politician and the 20th Premier of Quebec from 1966 until his death in 1968.

René Lévesque Quebec politician

René Lévesque was a reporter, a minister of the government of Quebec (1960–1966), the founder of the Parti Québécois political party and the 23rd Premier of Quebec. He was the first Quebec political leader since Confederation to attempt, through a referendum, to negotiate the political independence of Quebec.

This election was the last contested by the Union Nationale. It only ran candidates in 19 ridings, none of whom came close to being elected. The party would be wound up by election authorities in 1989.

Results

The overall results were: [1]

PartyParty leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular vote
1981 Elected% Change#%% Change
Liberal Robert Bourassa 1224299+135.7%1,910,307 55.99% +9.92%
Parti Québécois Pierre-Marc Johnson 1228023-71.3%1,320,008 38.69%-10.57%
  New Democratic Jean-Paul Harney 90*-*82,588 2.42% *
  Progressive Conservative André Asselin 48*-*35,210 1.03% *
     Parti indépendantiste Denis Monière 39*-*15,423 0.45%*
     Christian Socialist Jacques Paquette 103*-*11,712 0.34%*
Union Nationale André Léveillé 19---7,759 0.23%-3.77%
Green  10*-*4,613 0.14%*
     Humanist  17*-*3,050 0.09%*
Commonwealth of Canada  28*-*2,240 0.07%*
Socialist Movement Roger Deslauriers 10*-*1,809 0.05%*
     United Social Credit Jean-Paul Poulin 12---1,650 0.05%+0.01%
Communist Sam Walsh 10---8340.02% -
    Independents22---9,380 0.28% +0.16%
    No designation14---5,024 0.15%  
Total666122122-3,411,607100% 

Note:

* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.

Vote share
PLQ
55.99%
PQ
38.69%
NDP
2.42%
PC
1.03%
Others
1.86%

See also

The politics of Quebec are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces, namely a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital of Quebec is Quebec City, where the Lieutenant Governor, Premier, the legislature, and cabinet reside.

Timeline of Quebec history

This article presents a detailed timeline of Quebec history. Events taking place outside Quebec, for example in English Canada, the United States, Britain or France, may be included when they are considered to have had a significant impact on Quebec's history.

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References

  1. "Résultats officiels par parti politique pour l'ensemble des circonscriptions". Directeur général des élections du Québec. Retrieved 2012-01-31.