Politics · Canada · 3 hrs ago
PQ candidate wins Vachon recount by three votes
Stephan Fogaing of the Parti Québécois won Vachon by three votes after a judicial recount in the Longueuil riding.
Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika had first been declared the winner on October 5, with a 10-vote lead.
The PQ requested the recount because the initial margin was extremely narrow.
The result gives the PQ 60 seats in Quebec’s National Assembly, bringing it closer to—but still short of—a majority.
The party would need 64 seats to govern without routinely relying on opposition support.
The Quebec Liberals have not conceded, and say their lawyers are examining possible next steps.
Another judicial recount, in Champlain, is due to begin Thursday, though the Conservative candidate there led by 191 votes.
PQ candidate Stephan Fogaing won the Vachon judicial recount by three votes, according to the new count.
The recount, which ended Wednesday, overturned the October 5 result that had declared Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika the winner by 10 votes.
The Parti libéral du Québec said it did not concede the result and was reviewing its legal options.
The recount gives the PQ a 60th seat in the National Assembly, but it would need 64 seats to govern without opposition support.
A separate judicial recount in Champlain is due to begin Thursday.
- Who
- PQ candidate Stephan Fogaing won, ahead of Liberal candidate Affine Lwalalika by three votes.
- What
- A judicial recount changed the Vachon election result in the PQ’s favour.
- When
- The recount ended Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
- Where
- Vachon, a riding in Longueuil, Quebec.
- Why
- The PQ requested a judicial recount after Lwalalika’s initial 10-vote lead.
Parti québécois
Parti libéral du Québec
Recount result
Parti québécois
The recount declared PQ candidate Stephan Fogaing the winner by three votes.
Parti libéral du Québec
The PLQ said it did not concede the victory and was reviewing its legal options.
Next steps
Parti québécois
The PQ said it expected Fogaing to be sworn in in the coming days.
Parti libéral du Québec
The PLQ said all options were on the table and it would decide quickly what to do next.
Affine Lwalalika was declared elected in Vachon with a 10-vote lead over Stephan Fogaing.
The PQ requested a judicial recount, and the Court of Quebec accepted the request.
The judicial recount ended and gave Fogaing a three-vote lead.
A judicial recount in Champlain is due to begin.
- Winner
- Stephan Fogaing, Parti québécois
- Recount margin
- 3 votes
- Initial winner
- Affine Lwalalika, by 10 votes on October 5
- New PQ seat total
- 60 seats
- Seats needed for majority
- 64
- Next recount
- Champlain, scheduled to begin Thursday
3 sources
What people are saying
À ce stade-ci, nous ne concédons pas la victoire au Parti québécois et nos avocats examinent actuellement la situation et l’ensemble des recours à notre disposition
Avec une avance de seulement trois voix, l’expression "chaque vote compte" prend tout son sens
La politique est une aventure pleine de rebondissements, mais [M. Fogaing] n’a jamais cessé d’y croire