A recount in the Vachon riding in the Montérégie region revealed that Stephan Fogaing, the Parti Québécois candidate, secured a victory by a slim margin of three votes, as per information from CBC sources.
Initiated at the Longueuil courthouse on Monday, the recount was requested by the PQ after the Quebec Liberal Party’s candidate, Affine Lwalalika, received 10,063 votes, only 10 more than Fogaing, according to Élections Québec.
In a statement posted in French, the Liberal Party acknowledged the outcome but stated that they were not conceding to the PQ yet. They mentioned that legal experts are currently evaluating the situation and exploring all possible legal avenues before making a decision on the next course of action.
The PQ, on the other hand, stated that they would reserve their comments until Élections Québec issues an official statement.
Coinciding with the swearing-in ceremony of Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s cabinet, the recount result brings the PQ’s seat count in the National Assembly to 60, just four seats shy of a majority.
Moreover, a Quebec court judge has granted authorization for a judicial recount in the Champlain riding, also requested by the PQ. The recount is scheduled to commence on Thursday at the Trois-Rivières courthouse.
