Lemma 99.33.7. Let $X \to Y$ be a smooth morphism of algebraic spaces. Let $G$ be a group algebraic space over $Y$ which is flat and locally of finite presentation over $Y$. Let $G$ act on $X$ over $Y$. Then the quotient stack $[X/G]$ is smooth over $Y$.

Proof. The quotient $[X/G]$ is an algebraic stack by Criteria for Representability, Theorem 95.17.2. The smoothness of $[X/G]$ over $Y$ follows from the fact that smoothness descends under fppf coverings: Choose a surjective smooth morphism $U \to [X/G]$ where $U$ is a scheme. Smoothness of $[X/G]$ over $Y$ is equivalent to smoothness of $U$ over $Y$. Observe that $U \times _{[X/G]} X$ is smooth over $X$ and hence smooth over $Y$ (because compositions of smooth morphisms are smooth). On the other hand, $U \times _{[X/G]} X \to U$ is locally of finite presentation, flat, and surjective (because it is the base change of $X \to [X/G]$ which has those properties for example by Criteria for Representability, Lemma 95.17.1). Therefore we may apply Descent on Spaces, Lemma 72.7.4. $\square$

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