View source for Quebec Liberal Party

{{Short description|Provincial political party in Quebec, Canada}}
{{Redirect|PLQ|the airport with this IATA code|Palanga International Airport}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=March 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Quebec Liberal Party
| native_name      = Parti libéral du Québec
| native_name_lang = fr
| abbreviation     = PLQ<br>QLP
| logo             = Quebec Liberal Party logo.png
| logo_size        = 200px
| colorcode        = {{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}
| leader1_title    = [[#Party leaders|Leader]]
| leader1_name     = [[Marc Tanguay]] (interim)
| leader2_title    = President
| leader2_name     = Rafael Primeau Ferraro
| leader3_title    = 
| leader3_name     = 
| leader4_title    = 
| leader4_name     = 
| leader5_title    = 
| leader5_name     = 
| foundation       = {{Start date and age|July 1, 1867}}
| headquarters     = {{plainlist|
* [[Montreal]], Quebec, H2R 2Y8
* [[Quebec City]], Quebec, G1S 2P1
}}
| membership       = 15,000–20,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ledevoir.com/documents/special/2022-05-02/financement-pcq/index.html|title=Les nouveaux partisans du Parti conservateur du Québec|date=3 May 2022|access-date=9 August 2023 |language=fr-ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Pilon-Larose |first=Hugo |date=15 October 2023 |title=L'élection d'un nouveau chef en 2025 divise les libéraux |trans-title=The election of a new leader in 2025 divides the Liberals |language=Canadian French |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2023-10-15/relance-du-plq/l-election-d-un-nouveau-chef-en-2025-divise-les-liberaux.php |work=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]] }}</ref>
| membership_year  = 2023
| ideology         = {{plainlist|
* [[Liberalism in Canada|Liberalism]]
* [[Federalism in Quebec|Canadian federalism]]
}}
| position         = {{plainlist|
* {{nowrap|[[Centrism|Centre]]<ref>{{cite news |last= Lampert |first= Allison |date= 1 October 2018 |title= Quebec holds election that may shift province to the right |url= https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-election-quebec-idUSKCN1MB2AG |work= Reuters |access-date= 12 August 2022 |quote= Recent opinion polls have shown Quebec’s ruling Liberals, a centrist party, running neck-and-neck against the center-right Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) of former business executive Francois Legault, which has never held power.}}</ref> to [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Demers |first=Bálint |date=10 October 2022 |title=Les trois erreurs de Québec solidaire |trans-title=Québec solidaire's three mistakes |url=https://lvsl.fr/les-trois-erreurs-de-quebec-solidaire/ |magazine=Le Vent Se Lève |language=Canadian French }}</ref>}}
* '''1990s:'''
* [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]]<ref name="JSTOR journal">{{cite journal |last1= Durand |first1= Claire |last2= Blais |first2= André |last3= Vachon |first3= Sébastien |date= 2001 |title= Review: A Late Campaign Swing or a Failure of the Polls? The Case of the 1998 Quebec Election |url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/3078789 |journal= The Public Opinion Quarterly |volume= 65 |issue= 1 |pages= 108–123 |doi= 10.1086/320041|publisher= Oxford University Press |jstor= 3078789 |access-date= 12 August 2022|url-access= subscription }}</ref>
}}
| national         = [[Liberal Party of Canada]] (until 1955)
| colours          = {{colour box|{{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}|border=silver}} {{colour box|1E90FF|border=silver}} Red and blue
| seats1_title     = Seats in the [[National Assembly of Quebec|National Assembly]]
| seats1           = {{composition bar|19|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
| website          = {{URL|https://plq.org/fr/}}
| state            = Quebec
| country          = Canada
}}
{{Liberalism sidebar}}

The '''Quebec Liberal Party''' ('''QLP'''; {{langx|fr|Parti libéral du Québec}} {{IPA|fr|paʁti libeʁal dy kebɛk|}}, '''PLQ''') is a provincial [[political party in Quebec]]. It has been independent of the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada]] since 1955.<ref name="FarneyRayside2013">{{cite book|author1=James Farney|author2=David Rayside|title=Conservatism in Canada|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hF0rAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA317|date=12 November 2013|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-1-4426-1456-7|page=317}}</ref><ref name="Zapata-Barrero2009">{{cite book|author=Ricard Zapata-Barrero|author-link=Ricard Zapata-Barrero|title=Immigration and Self-government of Minority Nations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fIq44MCyrOIC&pg=PA70|year=2009|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-90-5201-547-7|page=70}}</ref><ref name="McEwen2006">{{cite book|author=Nicola McEwen|title=Nationalism and the State: Welfare and Identity in Scotland and Quebec|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2aEDaSqNNkYC&pg=PA166|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-90-5201-240-7|page=166}}</ref>

The QLP has traditionally supported a form of [[Quebec federalist ideology]] with nuanced [[Canadian nationalist]] tones that supports Quebec remaining within the Canadian federation, while also supporting reforms that would allow substantial [[autonomism in Quebec]]. In the context of federal [[Canadian politics]],<ref name="ReferenceA">Haddow and Klassen 2006 ''Partisanship, Globalization, and Canadian Labour Market Policy''. University of Toronto Press.</ref> it is a more [[centrist]] party when compared to Conservative and Liberal parties in other provinces, such as the former [[BC United|British Columbia Liberal Party]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Arsenault|first1=Gabriel|last2=Jacques|first2=Olivier|last3=Maioni|first3=Antonia|date=24 April 2018|title=Specific political and social conditions set Quebec on the path to becoming a leader in child care. What's kept the other provinces from following suit?|url=https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/april-2018/what-makes-quebec-such-an-outlier-on-child-care/|magazine=Policy Options|publisher=[[Institute for Research on Public Policy]]}}</ref>

== History ==
=== Pre-Confederation ===
The Liberal Party is descended from the [[Parti canadien]] (or Parti Patriote), who supported the 1837 [[Lower Canada Rebellion]], and the [[Parti rouge]], who fought for [[responsible government]] and against the authority of the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in [[Lower Canada]].
The most notable figure of this period was [[Louis-Joseph Papineau]].

=== Post-Confederation ===
The Liberals were in opposition to the ruling Conservatives for most of the first 20 years after [[Canadian Confederation]], except for 18 months of Liberal [[minority government]] in 1878–1879.  However, the situation changed in 1885 when the federal [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservative]] government refused to commute the death sentence of [[Louis Riel]], the leader of the French-speaking [[Métis people (Canada)|Métis]] people of western Canada.  This decision was unpopular in Quebec. [[Honoré Mercier]] rode this wave of discontent to power in 1887, but was brought down by a scandal in 1891. He was later cleared of all charges.  The Conservatives returned to power until 1897.

[[File:Gouvernement Marchand 1897.jpg|thumb|Members of [[Félix-Gabriel Marchand]]'s government of 1897]]
The Liberals won the [[1897 Quebec general election|1897 election]], and held power without interruption for the next 39 years; the Conservatives never held power in Quebec again. This mirrored the situation in Ottawa, where the arrival of [[Wilfrid Laurier]] in the [[1896 Canadian federal election|1896 federal election]] marked the beginning of [[Liberal Party of Canada]] dominance at the federal level.  Notable long-serving [[Premiers of Quebec]] in this era were [[Lomer Gouin]] and [[Louis-Alexandre Taschereau]].

By 1935, the Conservatives had an ambitious new leader, [[Maurice Duplessis]]. Duplessis merged his party with dissident ex-Liberals who had formed the [[Action libérale nationale]]. Duplessis led the new party, the [[Union Nationale (Quebec)|Union Nationale]] (UN), to power in the [[1936 Quebec general election|1936 election]].  The Liberals returned to power in the [[1939 Quebec general election|1939 election]], but lost it again in the [[1944 Quebec general election|1944 election]]. They remained in opposition to the Union Nationale until one year after Duplessis's death in 1959.

In 1955, the PLQ severed its affiliation with the [[Liberal Party of Canada]].{{cn|date=April 2021}}

=== 1960–1995 ===
Under [[Jean Lesage]], the party won an [[1960 Quebec general election|historic election victory in 1960]], ending sixteen years of rule by the national-conservative ''Union Nationale''. This marked the beginning of the [[Quiet Revolution]], which dramatically changed Quebec society. During the 1960s a [[Social democracy|social-democratic]] faction within the party was especially prominent and the party was seen as being on the [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]].<ref>Linteanau, Paul André. ''Quebec Since 1930: A History''. 521 pp.</ref> Under the slogans ''C'est l'temps qu'ça change'' (it's time for change) in 1960 and ''maîtres chez nous'' (masters in our own house) in 1962, the Quebec government undertook several major initiatives, including:
* Full [[nationalization]] of the electricity industry through merger of 11 private companies with the government-owned [[Hydro-Québec]]&nbsp;— this major initiative of the government was led by the minister of natural resources, [[René Lévesque]], in 1963.
* Creation of a public [[pension]] plan, the ''Régie des rentes du Québec'' (QPP/RRQ), separate from the [[Canada Pension Plan]] that exists in all other provinces of Canada, and creation of ''[[Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec]]'' (CDPQ).
* Elimination of tuition fees for public elementary & secondary schools and creation of the ''Ministère de l'éducation du Québec''.
* Secularisation of schools and hospitals.
* Creation of the ''[[Société générale de financement]]'' (SGF).
* Creation of the first incarnation of the ''[[Office québécois de la langue française]]'' (OQLF, originally OLF).
* Mandatory call for bids for all public works contracts above $25,000 (René Lévesque, 1960).
* Creation of ''Obligations d'épargne du Québec'' (Quebec savings bonds) in 1963.
* Right to strike in public service (1964).
* Creation of an office in Paris, introduction of the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine (meaning that Quebec has rights to its own international presence matching its domestic range of jurisdiction).

[[File:Assemblée nationale - Statue Jean Lesage1.jpg|thumb|Statue of Jean Lesage in front of the [[Parliament Building (Quebec)|Parliament Building]]]]
Under Lesage, the Liberals developed a [[Quebec nationalist]] wing. In July 1964, the Quebec Liberal Federation led by Lesage formally disaffiliated from the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada]], making the Quebec Liberal Party a distinct organization from its federal counterpart.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wcMtAAAAIBAJ&pg=4248,6415337&dq=liberal-federation%20canada%20president&hl=en |title=The Montreal Gazette |access-date=18 October 2016}}</ref><ref name=a>{{cite book |last=Stevenson |first=Garth |title=Community Besieged: The Anglophone Minority and the Politics of Quebec |year=1999 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |location=Montreal |isbn=9780773518391 |page=79 |url=https://archive.org/details/communitybesiege0000stev/page/79 |url-access=registration |quote=quebec anglophone ridings.}}</ref>

In October 1967, former cabinet minister René Lévesque proposed that the party endorse his plan for [[sovereignty association|sovereignty-association]]. The proposal was rejected and, as a result, some Liberals, including Lévesque, left the Liberals to join the [[Quebec sovereignty movement|sovereignty movement]], participating in the founding of the ''[[Parti Québécois]]'' (PQ) under Lévesque's leadership.<ref name=a/>

Relations soured between the Quebec Liberal Party and the federal Liberal Party under Lesage, and worsened further under [[Robert Bourassa]], who had a poor relationship with Canadian Prime Minister [[Pierre Trudeau]].

[[1970 Quebec general election|First elected in 1970]], Robert Bourassa instituted Bill 22 to introduce [[French language|French]] as the official language in Quebec, and pushed Trudeau for [[Canadian constitution|constitutional]] concessions. [[1973 Quebec general election|Reelected in 1973]], his government was also embarrassed by several scandals. Bourassa resigned from the party's leadership after the loss of the [[1976 Quebec general election|1976 election]] to René Lévesque's ''Parti Québécois''.

Bourassa was succeeded as Liberal leader by [[Claude Ryan]], the former director of the respected Montreal newspaper, ''[[Le Devoir]]''. Ryan led the successful federalist campaign in the [[1980 Quebec referendum]] on Quebec sovereignty, but then lost the [[1981 Quebec general election|1981 election]]. He resigned as Liberal leader some time later, paving the way for the return of Robert Bourassa.

When Bourassa [[1985 Quebec general election|returned as Premier in 1985]], he persuaded the federal [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative]] government of [[Brian Mulroney]] to recognize Quebec as a [[distinct society]], and sought greater powers for Quebec and the other provinces. This resulted in the [[Meech Lake Accord]] and [[Charlottetown Accord]]. Both of these proposals, however, were not ratified. While a [[Quebec nationalism|Quebec nationalist]], Bourassa remained an opponent of independence for Quebec.

[[Daniel Johnson Jr.]] succeeded Bourassa as Liberal leader and Premier of Quebec in 1994, but soon lost the [[1994 Quebec general election|1994 election]] to the ''Parti Québécois'' under [[Jacques Parizeau]].

In 1993, after the failure of the Charlottetown Accord, many nationalist members of the Liberal party led by [[Jean Allaire]] and [[Mario Dumont]], including many from the party's youth wing, left to form the ''[[Action démocratique du Québec]]'' (ADQ) because the Liberal Party dropped most of its [[Allaire Report|autonomist demands]] during the negotiation of the Charlottetown Accord. As in 1980, the PLQ campaigned successfully for a "no" vote in the [[1995 Quebec referendum]] on sovereignty.

=== 1998–present ===
Around the time of the [[1998 Quebec general election]], the party was referred to as being on the [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]] of the political spectrum.<ref name="JSTOR journal"/>

The Liberals regained power in the [[2003 Quebec general election|2003 election]]. Premier [[Jean Charest]] was a federal cabinet minister with the now-defunct [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservative Party]] including a stint as Deputy Prime Minister and even serving as its leader for a time. The QLP government proposed a policy of reform of social programs and cuts to government spending and the [[civil service]], and established a controversial health system fee for all taxpayers.

It has also softened language policies. In response to a [[Supreme Court of Canada]] decision overruling a loophole-closing stopgap measure enacted by the [[Bernard Landry]] government, the Liberals enacted Loi 104 which provides for English-language, unsubsidized private school students to transfer into the subsidized English-language system, thus receiving the right to attend English schools in Quebec for their siblings and all descendants, should the student demonstrate a bureaucratically-defined ''parcours authentique'' within the English system. Meanwhile, the [[Office québécois de la langue française]] (Quebec Board of the French Language) under the Liberal provincial government has also opted for a demand-side strategy for the enforcement of language laws, using a number of publicity campaigns, including stickers which merchants may voluntarily affix on their shop windows stating that French service may be obtained within, allowing for consumers to "choose" stores which will serve them in French.

The Liberal party suffered a major setback in the [[2007 Quebec general election|2007 election]], which saw them reduced to a [[minority government]], having lost francophone support to the surging [[Action démocratique du Québec|ADQ]].<ref name="Liberals' identity crisis">{{cite web |last=Gazette |first=The |url=http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=ed4f5ebb-fc08-4a91-95af-49154a128aba |title=Liberals' identity crisis |publisher=Canada.com |date=2007-09-18 |access-date=2012-01-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106000230/http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/editorial/story.html?id=ed4f5ebb-fc08-4a91-95af-49154a128aba |archive-date=2012-11-06 }}</ref> However, the party regained a majority in the [[2008 Quebec general election|2008 election]], which saw the collapse of ADQ support and the return of the Parti Québécois as the main opposition party. Election turnout was the lowest in Quebec since the [[Quiet Revolution]].

Since its most recent election, the Liberal government has faced a number of scandals, including historic losses at the [[Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec]], the attribution of highly sought-after subsidized daycare spaces to Liberal Party donors, as well as allegations of systemic construction industry corruption which arose notably during the [[2009 Montreal municipal election]]. After public pressure, the Liberal government eventually called for a public commission of inquiry. Jean Charest's personal approval ratings have at times been lower than those of other premiers.<ref>{{cite web|author=jane taber |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/brad-wall-kathy-dunderdale-top-premiers-in-popularity-rating/article1926626/ |title=Brad Wall, Kathy Dunderdale top premiers in popularity rating |publisher=Theglobeandmail.com |date=2011-03-02 |access-date=2012-01-20}}</ref>

In 2012, the Liberal government announced it was going to raise university tuition from $2,168 to $3,793 in increments between 2012 and 2017.  This move proved controversial, leading to a [[2012 Quebec student protests|significant portion of Quebec post-secondary students striking]] against the measures. In response to the discord the Quebec Liberal government introduced controversial emergency legislation via [[Bill 78]] that restricted student protest activities, attacking students' right to strike and to demonstrate peacefully, and dealt with the administrative issues resulting from so many students missing classes.

After almost a decade in power, the Liberal government of Jean Charest was defeated in the [[2012 Quebec general election|2012 provincial election]] by the [[Parti Québécois]] led by [[Pauline Marois]]. Charest was also personally defeated in his constituency and resigned as party leader.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-09-17|title=Canadian flag removed from Quebec National Assembly|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canadian-flag-removed-from-quebec-national-assembly-1.959958|access-date=2021-10-18|website=CTVNews|language=en}}</ref>

They came back into power during the [[2014 Quebec general election|2014 election]] under [[Philippe Couillard]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-votes/quebec-election-2014-philippe-couillard-s-mandate-to-be-anything-but-the-pq-1.2601757|title=Couillard's election mandate — to be anything but the PQ: Michelle Gagnon {{!}} CBC News|work=CBC|access-date=2018-10-05|language=en-US}}</ref> In the [[2018 Quebec general election|2018 election]], they became the official opposition.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/all-the-ways-in-which-the-quebec-election-made-history|title=All the ways in which the Quebec election made history|date=2018-10-02|work=National Post|access-date=2018-10-05|language=en-US}}</ref>

The contemporary Quebec Liberal Party is a [[big tent|broad-based]] federalist and multiculturalist coalition, including among its members supporters of the federal [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberals]], [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]], [[Bloc Québécois]], [[Green Party (Canada)|Greens]], and [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservatives]].

=== Opposition ===
The Quebec Liberal Party has faced various opposing parties in its history. Its main opponent from the time of the Confederation (1867) to the 1930s was the [[Conservative Party of Quebec (historical)|Parti conservateur du Québec]]. That party's successor, the [[Union Nationale (Quebec)|Union Nationale]], was the main opposition to the Liberals until the 1970s. Since then the Liberals have alternated in power with the [[Parti Québécois]], a [[Quebec sovereignty movement|Quebec sovereigntist]], self-described [[social-democratic]] party and very recently with the [[Coalition Avenir Québec]], a [[Quebec autonomist]] and [[conservative]] party.

== Party leaders ==
{{further|Quebec Liberal Party leadership elections}}
* [[Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière]] (1867–1883) (premier 1878–1879)
* [[Honoré Mercier]] (1883–1892) (premier 1887–1891)
* [[Félix-Gabriel Marchand]] (1892–1900) (premier 1897–1900)
* [[Simon-Napoléon Parent]] (1900–1905) (premier 1900–1905)
* [[Lomer Gouin]] (1905–1920) (premier 1905–1920)
* [[Louis-Alexandre Taschereau]] (1920–1936) (premier 1920–1936)
* [[Adélard Godbout]] (1936–1949) (premier 1936, 1939–1944)
* [[George Carlyle Marler]] (interim) (1949–1950)
* [[Georges-Émile Lapalme]] (1950–1958)
* [[Jean Lesage]] (31 May 1958&nbsp;– 17 January 1970) (premier 1960–1966)
* [[Robert Bourassa]] (17 January 1970 – 1976) (premier 1970–1976)
* [[Gérard D. Levesque]] (interim) (1976–1978)
* [[Claude Ryan]] (1978–1982)
* [[Gérard D. Levesque]] (interim) (1982–1983)
* [[Robert Bourassa]] (1983–1994) (premier 1985–1994)
* [[Daniel Johnson Jr.]] (1994–1998) (premier 1994)
* [[Monique Gagnon-Tremblay]] (interim) (1998)
* [[Jean Charest]] (1998–2012) (premier 2003–2012)
* [[Jean-Marc Fournier]] (interim) (2012–2013)
* [[Philippe Couillard]] (2013–2018) (premier 2014–2018)
* [[Pierre Arcand]] (interim) (2018–2020)
* [[Dominique Anglade]] (2020–2022)
* [[Marc Tanguay]] (interim) (2022–present)

== Election results ==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Election
!Leader
!No. of candidates
!No. of seats won
!Change +/-
!Standing
!% of popular vote
!Legislative role
!Government
|-
![[1867 Quebec general election|1867]]
|rowspan=5|[[Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière]]
|40
|{{Composition bar|12|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 12
|{{increase}} 2nd
|35.4%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Conservative majority
|-
![[1871 Quebec general election|1871]]
|38
|{{Composition bar|19|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 2
|{{steady}} 2nd
|39.4%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Conservative majority
|-
![[1875 Quebec general election|1875]]
|46
|{{Composition bar|19|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{steady}}
|{{steady}} 2nd
|38.8%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Conservative majority
|-
![[1878 Quebec general election|1878]]
|59
|{{Composition bar|31|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 12
|{{increase}} 1st
|47.5%
|{{yes2|Minority}}
|Liberal minority
|-
![[1881 Quebec general election|1881]]
|46
|{{Composition bar|14|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 17
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|39.0%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Conservative majority
|-
![[1886 Quebec general election|1886]]
|rowspan=2|[[Honoré Mercier]]
|49
|{{Composition bar|33|65|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 19
|{{increase}} 1st
|39.5%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Conservatives attempted to continue as a minority for three months until they resigned and were replaced by a narrow Liberal majority.
|-
![[1890 Quebec general election|1890]]
|68
|{{Composition bar|43|73|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 10
|{{steady}} 1st
|44.5%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Initial Liberal Majority, became a minority due to defections and then replaced by Conservatives after the Liberal Premier was dismissed by the Lieutenant-Governor.
|-
![[1892 Quebec general election|1892]]
|rowspan=2|[[Félix-Gabriel Marchand]]
|62
|{{Composition bar|21|73|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 22
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|43.7%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Conservative majority
|-
![[1897 Quebec general election|1897]]
|78
|{{Composition bar|51|74|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 30
|{{increase}} 1st
|53.3%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1900 Quebec general election|1900]]
|rowspan=2|[[Simon-Napoléon Parent]]
|77
|{{Composition bar|67|74|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 16
|{{steady}} 1st
|53.1%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1904 Quebec general election|1904]]
|87
|{{Composition bar|68|74|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{steady}} 1st
|55.5%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1908 Quebec general election|1908]]
|rowspan=4|[[Lomer Gouin]]
|76
|{{Composition bar|57|74|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 11
|{{steady}} 1st
|54.2%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1912 Quebec general election|1912]]
|83
|{{Composition bar|62|81|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 5
|{{steady}} 1st
|53.5%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1916 Quebec general election|1916]]
|85
|{{Composition bar|75|81|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 13
|{{steady}} 1st
|64.0%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1919 Quebec general election|1919]]
|99
|{{Composition bar|74|81|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 1
|{{steady}} 1st
|65.4%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1923 Quebec general election|1923]]
|rowspan=4|[[Louis-Alexandre Taschereau]]
|92
|{{Composition bar|63|85|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 11
|{{steady}} 1st
|52.9%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1927 Quebec general election|1927]]
|86
|{{Composition bar|74|85|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 9
|{{steady}} 1st
|60.3%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1931 Quebec general election|1931]]
|90
|{{Composition bar|79|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 5
|{{steady}} 1st
|54.9%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1935 Quebec general election|1935]]
|91
|{{Composition bar|48|89|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 31
|{{steady}} 1st
|46.8%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1936 Quebec general election|1936]]
|rowspan=4|[[Adélard Godbout]]
|89
|{{Composition bar|14|90|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 34
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|40.0%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|[[Union Nationale (Quebec)|Union Nationale]] majority
|-
![[1939 Quebec general election|1939]]
|87
|{{Composition bar|70|86|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 56
|{{increase}} 1st
|54.1%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1944 Quebec general election|1944]]
|91
|{{Composition bar|37|91|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 21
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|39.4%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Union Nationale majority
|-
![[1948 Quebec general election|1948]]
|93
|{{Composition bar|8|92|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 29
|{{steady}} 2nd
|36.2%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Union Nationale majority
|-
![[1952 Quebec general election|1952]]
|rowspan=2|[[Georges-Émile Lapalme]]
|92
|{{Composition bar|23|92|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 15
|{{steady}} 2nd
|45.8%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Union Nationale majority
|-
![[1956 Quebec general election|1956]]
|93
|{{Composition bar|20|93|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 3
|{{steady}} 2nd
|44.9%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Union Nationale majority
|-
![[1960 Quebec general election|1960]]
|rowspan=3|[[Jean Lesage]]
|95
|{{Composition bar|51|95|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 31
|{{increase}} 1st
|51.3%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1962 Quebec general election|1962]]
|97
|{{Composition bar|63|95|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 12
|{{steady}} 1st
|56.40%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1966 Quebec general election|1966]]
|108
|{{Composition bar|50|108|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 13
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|47.29%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Union Nationale majority
|-
![[1970 Quebec general election|1970]]
|rowspan=3|[[Robert Bourassa]]
|108
|{{Composition bar|72|108|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 22
|{{increase}} 1st
|45.40%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1973 Quebec general election|1973]]
|110
|{{Composition bar|102|110|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 30
|{{steady}} 1st
|54.65%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1976 Quebec general election|1976]]
|110
|{{Composition bar|26|110|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 76
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|33.77%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|[[Parti Québécois]] majority
|-
![[1981 Quebec general election|1981]]
|[[Claude Ryan]]
|122
|{{Composition bar|42|122|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 16
|{{steady}} 2nd
|46.07%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Parti Québécois majority
|-
![[1985 Quebec general election|1985]]
|rowspan=2|[[Robert Bourassa]]
|122
|{{Composition bar|99|122|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 57
|{{increase}} 1st
|55.99%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1989 Quebec general election|1989]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|92|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 7
|{{steady}} 1st
|49.95%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[1994 Quebec general election|1994]]
|[[Daniel Johnson Jr.]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|47|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 48
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|44.40%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Parti Québécois majority
|-
![[1998 Quebec general election|1998]]
|rowspan=5|[[Jean Charest]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|48|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{steady}} 2nd
|43.55%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Parti Québécois majority
|-
![[2003 Quebec general election|2003]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|76|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 28
|{{Increase}} 1st
|45.99%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[2007 Quebec general election|2007]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|48|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 28
|{{steady}} 1st
|33.07%
|{{yes2|Minority}}
|Liberal minority
|-
![[2008 Quebec general election|2008]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|66|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 18
|{{steady}} 1st
|42.06%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[2012 Quebec general election|2012]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|50|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 16
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|31.20%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|Parti Québécois minority
|-
![[2014 Quebec general election|2014]]
|rowspan=2|[[Philippe Couillard]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|70|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{increase}} 20
|{{increase}} 1st
|41.50%
|{{yes|Majority}}
|Liberal majority
|-
![[2018 Quebec general election|2018]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|31|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 39
|{{decrease}} 2nd
|24.82%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|[[Coalition Avenir Québec]] majority
|-
![[2022 Quebec general election|2022]]
|[[Dominique Anglade]]
|125
|{{Composition bar|21|125|hex={{Canadian party colour|QC|Liberal}}}}
|{{decrease}} 7
|{{steady}} 2nd
|14.4%
|{{no2|Official Opposition}}
|[[Coalition Avenir Québec]] majority
|}
== See also ==
{{Portal|Canada|Liberalism|Politics}}
* [[Liberalism in Canada]]
* [[List of Quebec general elections]]
* [[List of Quebec premiers]]
* [[List of Quebec leaders of the Opposition]]
* [[Quebec Liberal Party leadership elections]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.plq.org/en/ Parti libéral du Québec] official website {{in lang|en}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091217055751/http://www.assnat.qc.ca/fra/patrimoine/ National Assembly historical information] {{in lang|fr}}
* [http://www.quebecpolitique.com/ Liberal Party Election Performances] {{in lang|fr}}
* [http://www.eqrolc.ca/eqenrepqc.shtml EQUITAS Rule of Law Commission - Quebec File],{{dead link|date=July 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} an independent supervising body providing forensic analysis of QLP form of governance

{{Quebec Liberal Leaders|state=autocollapse}}
{{major Canadian Liberal Parties}}
{{Quebec provincial political parties}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Quebec Liberal Party| ]]
[[Category:1867 establishments in Quebec]]
[[Category:Centre-right parties]]
[[Category:Centrist parties in Canada]]
[[Category:Liberal conservatism]] 
[[Category:Liberal parties in Canada]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada]]
[[Category:Neoliberalism]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Montreal]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Quebec City]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1867]]
[[Category:Provincial political parties in Quebec]]