Quebec election tightens — CAQ closes gap with PQ as campaign enters second day

The Quebec election race has tightened sharply, with the Coalition Avenir Québec erasing a significant polling gap just one day after the official campaign launch.

According to a Synopsis-La Presse voter intention survey released Friday, the Parti Québécois maintains its frontrunner status with 28 per cent support among Quebecers. However, the CAQ has surged to 27 per cent — a seven-point gain compared to an earlier Synopsis-La Presse poll — creating a statistical dead heat between the two parties.

Much of the CAQ's momentum appears to have come at the expense of the Quebec Liberal Party, which dropped to 20 per cent over the same two-week period, losing six percentage points. The Conservatives hold 14 per cent and Québec solidaire 10 per cent.

Premier Christine Fréchette, who leads the CAQ, has positioned herself as a stabilizing figure amid the ongoing trade tensions with the United States. In the same poll, 46 per cent of Quebecers said Fréchette was best-positioned to protect Quebec's interests in trade challenges with the Americans — a significant advantage over PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon at 37 per cent and Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard at 26 per cent. Fréchette has repeatedly framed U.S. President Donald Trump as her "main opponent" in the election campaign.

The survey was conducted among 867 respondents between August 24 and 26. The election is set for October 5, giving voters roughly five weeks to make their choice.