Quebec has radical new political scenario

A Quebec political party less than a year old holds the balance of power in the legislature after separatists narrowly beat out the three-term Liberals Tuesday. The separatist Parti Quebecois under the leadership of 63-year-old Pauline Marois took 54 seats in the 125-seat National Assembly, ending three terms under Liberal Premier Jean Charest, who lost in his own district. Marois will become the province's first female premier. The Liberals, who won 50 seats, will have to hold a leadership convention. Ironically, their federal counterparts in Ottawa have been without a leader for more than a year. What surprised many was the success of a party only formed in March -- the Coalition for Quebec's Future, known as the CAQ. Under Francois Legault, the center-right party won 19 seats in its first election and now holds the balance of power in the minority government. The separatist Quebec Solidaire party took the remaining two seats. The Parti Quebecois has been in power four times since 1976 and twice held referenda on seceding from Canada and lost each time. Marois has said sovereignty remains high on the party's agenda. The CAQ's Legault was formerly a PQ cabinet minister, but downplayed sovereignty in the 35 days of campaigning prior to Tuesday's vote. The PQ's victory party was marred when a masked man burst into the back of the convention center and opened fire, killing one man injuring another. He was arrested, but hadn't been identified by Wednesday morning, police said.