The latest CROP poll has good news for Pauline Marois and her Parti Quebecois government, but it's even better for the Liberals.

The survey conducted from August 15 to 18 shows that popular support for the PQ has climbed back to 29 per cent -- up from a low of 24 per cent support in May of this year, but still below the honeymoon high of 36 per cent support the party had in December.

Personal support for Marois as best leader in Quebec rose eight percentage points to 19 per cent, putting her slightly ahead of Coaliton Avenir Quebec leader Francois Legault. That's the first time Marois's personal approval rating has improved since the year began.

A total of 34 per cent said that they were satisfied with Marois and her government's performance.

Political analyst Robert Libman said the rise in support for Marois and her party was expected because of how she has handled the Lac-Megantic disaster.

"If there's one thing she can learn from her increased numbers this summer it's when she showed leadership, like she did at Lac-Megantic, there's improvement to be had," said Libman.

However the poll shows that Quebecers are solidly in favour of a return to power by the provincial Liberal party, with 40 per cent saying they would vote for them were an election held today. That's a two percentage point increase since June.

Philippe Couillard's personal approval rating, at 26 per cent, is the highest of any political leader in the province.

When breaking down support  among communities, a plurality of francophones prefer the PQ at 35 per cent, while 28 per cent prefer the Liberals and 24 per cent choose the CAQ.

Libman cautioned that the increased support for the PQ comes, in part, from losses suffered by Quebec Solidaire and Option Nationale.

"The degradation of the other sovereignist parties can only help the PQ and that might lead her to practice politics of division in the National Assembly this fall to consolidate her sovereignist base and get those numbers back from those parties," said Libman.

Support for the fourth and fifth parties in Quebec plummeted in this poll, with Quebec Solidaire support dropping four points to 7 per cent, and Option Nationale, which saw its founder Jean-Martin Aussant announce he is moving to England when the poll was taking place, is the party of choice for just 2 per cent of Quebecers.

The National Assembly resumes sitting on Sept. 17.