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Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois is hugged by Nicole Leger after taking the stage following the PQ defeat in the provincial election Monday April 7, 2014 in Montreal. Marois also lost her seat in Charlevoix-Cote-de-Beaupre to Liberal candidate Caroline Simard. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)The Associated Press

Quebec Liberal party supporters react as they watch the results on election night, Monday, April 7, 2014, in Saint-Felicien, Quebec. The Liberal Party won Quebec's legislative elections Monday, in a crushing defeat for the main separatist party and major setback for the cause of independence in the French-speaking province. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Clement Allard)The Associated Press

Quebec Liberal Party Leader Philippe Couillard casts his ballot Monday, April 7, 2014 in St-Felicien, Quebec. elections that revived the debate on whether the French-speaking province should break away from Canada. That possibility now seems far off, with the Party Quebecois facing a backlash over the renewed talk of independence, an idea that has enjoyed little support in recent years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jacques Boissinot)The Associated Press

A man holds a voting card outside a polling station in Montreal Monday, April 7, 2014 prior to casting his ballot on election day in Quebec. Quebec's main separatist party faces a tough challenge of its own making Monday as polls opened in elections that revived the debate on whether the French-speaking province should break away from Canada. That possibility now seems far off, with the Party Quebecois facing a backlash over the renewed talk of independence, an idea that has enjoyed little support in recent years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)The Associated Press

People wait in line to vote at a polling station in Montreal Monday, April 7, 2014 on election day in Quebec. Quebec's main separatist party faces a tough challenge of its own making Monday as polls opened in elections that revived the debate on whether the French-speaking province should break away from Canada. That possibility now seems far off, with the Party Quebecois facing a backlash over the renewed talk of independence, an idea that has enjoyed little support in recent years. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)The Associated Press

MONTREAL The Liberal Party won Quebec's legislative elections Monday, in a crushing defeat for the main separatist party and major setback for the cause of independence in the French-speaking province.

The results will allow the Liberals, staunch supporters of Canadian unity, to form a majority government, less than 18 months after voters had booted the party from power for the first time in nine years amid allegations of corruption.

With 99 percent of the polling stations reporting, the Liberals had 41.4 percent of the vote and took 70 of the National Assembly's 125 seats.

The separatist Parti Quebecois had 25.4 percent, and was on track to win 30 seats. The Coalition for Quebec's Future, which downplayed the sovereignty issue to focus on the economy, was close behind with 23.3 percent and 22 seats.

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, who led a minority government, called the snap elections last month in hopes of securing a majority for her PQ party. But the campaign stirred up speculation that a PQ majority would ultimately lead to another referendum on independence from Canada, an idea that has lacked support in recent years.

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Anti-independence Liberals win Quebec legislative elections, defeating separatist party