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The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Can New Caledonia gain independence from France?
The story so far: A high-stakes attempt by French Overseas Minister Manuel Valls to broker a new political accord for New Caledonia collapsed on May 8, plunging the French Pacific territory into profound uncertainty. What is its current status? For decades, New Caledonia, a French island territory of approximately 2,71,400 people in the southwest Pacific Ocean, has been on a complex journey regarding its status. The 1998 Nouméa Accord, born from a history of colonial tensions and a near civil war in the 1980s, explicitly recognised the 'trauma' inflicted upon the indigenous Kanak people. It also led to three referendums on independence, in 2018, 2020 and 2021, of New Caledonia from France. While all three rejected independence, the final vote was boycotted by pro-independence parties and its legitimacy has been contested. Why is independence still a demand? New Caledonia's modern history began with its seizure by France as a penal colony in 1853. Despite attempts to ease colonial rule, such as granting French citizenship to all inhabitants in 1957, deep divisions persisted, culminating in the 1984-1988 conflict. The Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) emerged during this period as a powerful political force, advocating for complete independence. The 1998 Nouméa Accord was a landmark compromise. It established a unique sui generis status for New Caledonia within the French Republic. It granted the territory significant autonomy, including its own Congress with law-making powers, and incorporated 'New Caledonian citizenship' which restricted voting rights to long-term residents, a key provision for Kanak political representation. However, due to the FLNKS boycott of the last independence referendum, over COVID-19 and customary mourning periods, the final solution to New Caledonia remained uncertain. Why did recent talks fail? The period following the contested 2021 referendum was marked by heightened tension, which exploded in May 2024 over a French proposal to 'unfreeze' the electoral roll (to change rules which restrict voting rights to only long-term residents). The ensuing riots, the worst in decades, resulted in 14 deaths, and hundreds injured. In this volatile context, the French government, through Mr. Valls, intensified efforts to find a 'third way' — a new institutional status that could offer a form of sovereignty without complete traditional independence. Mr. Valls's mission aimed to facilitate dialogue between FLNKS and loyalist factions towards such a consensual outcome. The concept of 'sovereignty in partnership' became central. This envisioned New Caledonia gaining enhanced international recognition and control over most aspects of governance such as the judiciary, but with an immediate, negotiated delegation of the exercise of these powers back to France. However, this path was abruptly blocked on May 8. During the negotiations, the proposal was decisively rejected by hardline loyalist factions in the island. They deemed the 'sovereignty in partnership' model as tantamount to disguised independence. Instead, these loyalist groups proposed a form of partition, with the pro-independence North and Loyalty Islands provinces having an association status, while the wealthier, loyalist-majority South Province would remain fully French. This solution was found unacceptable to both the French state, which upholds New Caledonia's indivisibility, and the independents who called this 'paramount to apartheid'. The failure of the talks has significantly amplified the obstacles. The immediate challenge is the upcoming provincial elections, due by November 2025, which will now proceed without a prior political agreement on the territory's future. Franciszek Snarski is an intern at The Hindu.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Caledonia's Political Talks: No Outcome After Three Days Of ‘Conclave'
Article – RNZ New Caledonia's political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the French Pacific territory's future status. , Correspondent French Pacific Desk After three solid days of talks in retreat mode, New Caledonia's political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the French Pacific territory's future status. The talks, held with French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls and French Prime Minister's special advisor Eric Thiers, have since Monday moved from Nouméa to a seaside resort in Bourail – West coast of the main island, about 200 kilometres away from the capital – in what has been labelled a 'conclave', a direct reference to this week's meeting of Catholic cardinals in Rome. However, the Bourail conclave is yet to produce any kind of white smoke, and no one, as yet, claims 'Habemus Pactum' to say that an agreement has been reached. Under heavy security, representatives of both pro-France and pro-independence parties are being kept in isolation and are supposed to stay there until a compromise is found to define New Caledonia's political future, and an agreement that would later serve as the basis for a pact designed to replace the Nouméa Accord that was signed in 1998. The talks were supposed to conclude on Wednesday, but it has been confirmed that the discussions were going to last longer, at least one more day, probably well into the night. Valls was initially scheduled to fly back to Paris on Thursday, but it has also been confirmed that he will stay longer. Almost one year after civil unrest broke out in New Caledonia on 13 May 2024, leaving 14 dead and causing €2.2 billion in damages, the talks involve pro-France Les Loyalistes, Le Rassemblement, Calédonie Ensemble and pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front), UNI-PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party). Éveil Océanien, a Wallisian-based party, defends a 'neither pro, nor against independence' line, what it calls a 'third way'. The talks, over the past few days, have been described as 'tense but respectful', with some interruptions at times. The most sensitive issues among the numerous topics covered by the talks on New Caledonia's future, are reported to be the question of New Caledonia's future status and its future relationship to France. Other sensitive topics include New Caledonia's future citizenship and the transfer of remaining key powers (defence, law and order, currency, foreign affairs, justice) from Paris to Nouméa. Valls, who is visiting New Caledonia for the third time since February 2025, said he would stay in New Caledonia 'as long as necessary' for an inclusive and comprehensive agreement to be reached. Earlier this week, Valls also likened the current situation as 'walking on a tightrope above embers.' 'The choice is between an agreement and chaos,' he told local media. On both sides of the discussion table, local parties have all stated earlier that bearing in mind their respective demands, they were 'not ready to sign at all costs.' The most hard-line pro-independence views, from FLNKS, are demanding full sovereignty while on the pro-France side, the line is to consider that link as unquestionable, after three referendums were held there between 2018 and 2021. Valls's approach was still trying to reconcile those two very antagonistic views, often described as 'irreconcilable'. 'But the thread is not broken. Only more time is required', local media quoted a close source as saying. Last week, an earlier session of talks in Nouméa had to be interrupted due to severe frictions and disagreement from the pro-France side. Speaking to public broadcaster NC la 1ère on Sunday, Rassemblement leader Virginie Ruffenach elaborated, saying 'there had been profound elements of disagreements on a certain number of words uttered by the Minister (Valls)'. One of the controversial concepts, strongly opposed by the most radical pro-French parties, was a possible transfer of key powers from Paris to Nouméa, as part of a possible agreement. 'In what was advanced, the land of New Caledonia would no longer be a French land', Ruffenach stressed on Sunday, adding this was 'unacceptable' to her camp. She also said the two main pro-France parties were opposed to any notion of 'independence-association'. 'Neither Rassemblement, nor Les Loyalistes will sign for New Caledonia's independence, let this be very clear'. The pro-France camp is advocating for increased powers (including on tax matters) for each of the three provinces of New Caledonia, a solution sometimes regarded by critics as a form of partition of the French Pacific territory. In a media release on Sunday, FLNKS 'reaffirmed its…ultimate goal was Kanaky (New Caledonia's) accession to full sovereignty'. Series of fateful anniversaries On the general public level, a feeling of high expectations, but also wariness, seems to prevail at the news that discussions were still inconclusive. In 1988, the Matignon-Oudinot peace talks between pro-independence leader at the time, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and pro-France leader Jacques Lafleur, were also held, in their final stage, in Paris, behind closed doors, under the close supervision of French Prime Minister, Socialist Michel Rocard. The present crucial talks also coincide with a series of fateful anniversaries in New Caledonia's recent history: on 5 May 1988, French special forces ended a hostage situation and intervened on Ouvéa Island in the Gossana grotto, where a group of hard-line pro-independent militants had kept a group of French gendarmes. The human toll was heavy: 19 Kanak militants and 2 gendarmes were killed. On 4 May 1989, one year after the Matignon-Oudinot peace accords were signed, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and his deputy Yeiwene Yeiwene were gunned down by hard-line pro-independence Kanak Djubelly Wea. Valls attended most of these commemoration ceremonies, at the weekend. On 5 May 1998, the Nouméa Accord, now aged 27, was signed between New Caledonia's parties and then French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The Nouméa pact, which is often regarded as a de facto Constitution, was placing a particular stress on the notions of 're-balancing' economic wealth, a 'common destiny' for all ethnic communities 'living together' and a gradual transfer of powers from Paris to Nouméa. The Accord also prescribed that if three self-determination referendums (initially scheduled between 2014 and 2018) had produced three rejections (in the form of 'no'), then all political stakeholders were supposed to 'meet and examine the situation thus generated'. The current talks aimed at arriving at a new document, which was destined to replace the ageing Nouméa Accord and bring New Caledonia closer to having its own Constitution. Valls said he was determined to 'finalise New Caledonia's decolonisation' process.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Caledonia's Political Talks: No Outcome After Three Days Of ‘Conclave'
Article – RNZ New Caledonia's political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the French Pacific territory's future status. , Correspondent French Pacific Desk After three solid days of talks in retreat mode, New Caledonia's political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the French Pacific territory's future status. The talks, held with French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls and French Prime Minister's special advisor Eric Thiers, have since Monday moved from Nouméa to a seaside resort in Bourail – West coast of the main island, about 200 kilometres away from the capital – in what has been labelled a 'conclave', a direct reference to this week's meeting of Catholic cardinals in Rome. However, the Bourail conclave is yet to produce any kind of white smoke, and no one, as yet, claims 'Habemus Pactum' to say that an agreement has been reached. Under heavy security, representatives of both pro-France and pro-independence parties are being kept in isolation and are supposed to stay there until a compromise is found to define New Caledonia's political future, and an agreement that would later serve as the basis for a pact designed to replace the Nouméa Accord that was signed in 1998. The talks were supposed to conclude on Wednesday, but it has been confirmed that the discussions were going to last longer, at least one more day, probably well into the night. Valls was initially scheduled to fly back to Paris on Thursday, but it has also been confirmed that he will stay longer. Almost one year after civil unrest broke out in New Caledonia on 13 May 2024, leaving 14 dead and causing €2.2 billion in damages, the talks involve pro-France Les Loyalistes, Le Rassemblement, Calédonie Ensemble and pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front), UNI-PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party). Éveil Océanien, a Wallisian-based party, defends a 'neither pro, nor against independence' line, what it calls a 'third way'. The talks, over the past few days, have been described as 'tense but respectful', with some interruptions at times. The most sensitive issues among the numerous topics covered by the talks on New Caledonia's future, are reported to be the question of New Caledonia's future status and its future relationship to France. Other sensitive topics include New Caledonia's future citizenship and the transfer of remaining key powers (defence, law and order, currency, foreign affairs, justice) from Paris to Nouméa. Valls, who is visiting New Caledonia for the third time since February 2025, said he would stay in New Caledonia 'as long as necessary' for an inclusive and comprehensive agreement to be reached. Earlier this week, Valls also likened the current situation as 'walking on a tightrope above embers.' 'The choice is between an agreement and chaos,' he told local media. On both sides of the discussion table, local parties have all stated earlier that bearing in mind their respective demands, they were 'not ready to sign at all costs.' The most hard-line pro-independence views, from FLNKS, are demanding full sovereignty while on the pro-France side, the line is to consider that link as unquestionable, after three referendums were held there between 2018 and 2021. Valls's approach was still trying to reconcile those two very antagonistic views, often described as 'irreconcilable'. 'But the thread is not broken. Only more time is required', local media quoted a close source as saying. Last week, an earlier session of talks in Nouméa had to be interrupted due to severe frictions and disagreement from the pro-France side. Speaking to public broadcaster NC la 1ère on Sunday, Rassemblement leader Virginie Ruffenach elaborated, saying 'there had been profound elements of disagreements on a certain number of words uttered by the Minister (Valls)'. One of the controversial concepts, strongly opposed by the most radical pro-French parties, was a possible transfer of key powers from Paris to Nouméa, as part of a possible agreement. 'In what was advanced, the land of New Caledonia would no longer be a French land', Ruffenach stressed on Sunday, adding this was 'unacceptable' to her camp. She also said the two main pro-France parties were opposed to any notion of 'independence-association'. 'Neither Rassemblement, nor Les Loyalistes will sign for New Caledonia's independence, let this be very clear'. The pro-France camp is advocating for increased powers (including on tax matters) for each of the three provinces of New Caledonia, a solution sometimes regarded by critics as a form of partition of the French Pacific territory. In a media release on Sunday, FLNKS 'reaffirmed its…ultimate goal was Kanaky (New Caledonia's) accession to full sovereignty'. Series of fateful anniversaries On the general public level, a feeling of high expectations, but also wariness, seems to prevail at the news that discussions were still inconclusive. In 1988, the Matignon-Oudinot peace talks between pro-independence leader at the time, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and pro-France leader Jacques Lafleur, were also held, in their final stage, in Paris, behind closed doors, under the close supervision of French Prime Minister, Socialist Michel Rocard. The present crucial talks also coincide with a series of fateful anniversaries in New Caledonia's recent history: on 5 May 1988, French special forces ended a hostage situation and intervened on Ouvéa Island in the Gossana grotto, where a group of hard-line pro-independent militants had kept a group of French gendarmes. The human toll was heavy: 19 Kanak militants and 2 gendarmes were killed. On 4 May 1989, one year after the Matignon-Oudinot peace accords were signed, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and his deputy Yeiwene Yeiwene were gunned down by hard-line pro-independence Kanak Djubelly Wea. Valls attended most of these commemoration ceremonies, at the weekend. On 5 May 1998, the Nouméa Accord, now aged 27, was signed between New Caledonia's parties and then French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The Nouméa pact, which is often regarded as a de facto Constitution, was placing a particular stress on the notions of 're-balancing' economic wealth, a 'common destiny' for all ethnic communities 'living together' and a gradual transfer of powers from Paris to Nouméa. The Accord also prescribed that if three self-determination referendums (initially scheduled between 2014 and 2018) had produced three rejections (in the form of 'no'), then all political stakeholders were supposed to 'meet and examine the situation thus generated'. The current talks aimed at arriving at a new document, which was destined to replace the ageing Nouméa Accord and bring New Caledonia closer to having its own Constitution. Valls said he was determined to 'finalise New Caledonia's decolonisation' process.
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
New Caledonia's Political Talks: No Outcome After Three Days Of 'Conclave'
, Correspondent French Pacific Desk After three solid days of talks in retreat mode, New Caledonia's political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the French Pacific territory's future status. The talks, held with French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls and French Prime Minister's special advisor Eric Thiers, have since Monday moved from Nouméa to a seaside resort in Bourail - West coast of the main island, about 200 kilometres away from the capital - in what has been labelled a "conclave", a direct reference to this week's meeting of Catholic cardinals in Rome. However, the Bourail conclave is yet to produce any kind of white smoke, and no one, as yet, claims "Habemus Pactum" to say that an agreement has been reached. Under heavy security, representatives of both pro-France and pro-independence parties are being kept in isolation and are supposed to stay there until a compromise is found to define New Caledonia's political future, and an agreement that would later serve as the basis for a pact designed to replace the Nouméa Accord that was signed in 1998. The talks were supposed to conclude on Wednesday, but it has been confirmed that the discussions were going to last longer, at least one more day, probably well into the night. Valls was initially scheduled to fly back to Paris on Thursday, but it has also been confirmed that he will stay longer. Almost one year after civil unrest broke out in New Caledonia on 13 May 2024, leaving 14 dead and causing €2.2 billion in damages, the talks involve pro-France Les Loyalistes, Le Rassemblement, Calédonie Ensemble and pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front), UNI-PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party). Éveil Océanien, a Wallisian-based party, defends a "neither pro, nor against independence" line, what it calls a "third way". The talks, over the past few days, have been described as "tense but respectful", with some interruptions at times. The most sensitive issues among the numerous topics covered by the talks on New Caledonia's future, are reported to be the question of New Caledonia's future status and its future relationship to France. Other sensitive topics include New Caledonia's future citizenship and the transfer of remaining key powers (defence, law and order, currency, foreign affairs, justice) from Paris to Nouméa. Valls, who is visiting New Caledonia for the third time since February 2025, said he would stay in New Caledonia "as long as necessary" for an inclusive and comprehensive agreement to be reached. Earlier this week, Valls also likened the current situation as "walking on a tightrope above embers." "The choice is between an agreement and chaos," he told local media. On both sides of the discussion table, local parties have all stated earlier that bearing in mind their respective demands, they were "not ready to sign at all costs." The most hard-line pro-independence views, from FLNKS, are demanding full sovereignty while on the pro-France side, the line is to consider that link as unquestionable, after three referendums were held there between 2018 and 2021. Valls's approach was still trying to reconcile those two very antagonistic views, often described as "irreconcilable". "But the thread is not broken. Only more time is required", local media quoted a close source as saying. Last week, an earlier session of talks in Nouméa had to be interrupted due to severe frictions and disagreement from the pro-France side. Speaking to public broadcaster NC la 1ère on Sunday, Rassemblement leader Virginie Ruffenach elaborated, saying "there had been profound elements of disagreements on a certain number of words uttered by the Minister (Valls)". One of the controversial concepts, strongly opposed by the most radical pro-French parties, was a possible transfer of key powers from Paris to Nouméa, as part of a possible agreement. "In what was advanced, the land of New Caledonia would no longer be a French land", Ruffenach stressed on Sunday, adding this was "unacceptable" to her camp. She also said the two main pro-France parties were opposed to any notion of "independence-association". "Neither Rassemblement, nor Les Loyalistes will sign for New Caledonia's independence, let this be very clear". The pro-France camp is advocating for increased powers (including on tax matters) for each of the three provinces of New Caledonia, a solution sometimes regarded by critics as a form of partition of the French Pacific territory. In a media release on Sunday, FLNKS "reaffirmed goal was Kanaky (New Caledonia's) accession to full sovereignty". Series of fateful anniversaries On the general public level, a feeling of high expectations, but also wariness, seems to prevail at the news that discussions were still inconclusive. In 1988, the Matignon-Oudinot peace talks between pro-independence leader at the time, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and pro-France leader Jacques Lafleur, were also held, in their final stage, in Paris, behind closed doors, under the close supervision of French Prime Minister, Socialist Michel Rocard. The present crucial talks also coincide with a series of fateful anniversaries in New Caledonia's recent history: on 5 May 1988, French special forces ended a hostage situation and intervened on Ouvéa Island in the Gossana grotto, where a group of hard-line pro-independent militants had kept a group of French gendarmes. The human toll was heavy: 19 Kanak militants and 2 gendarmes were killed. On 4 May 1989, one year after the Matignon-Oudinot peace accords were signed, Jean-Marie Tjibaou and his deputy Yeiwene Yeiwene were gunned down by hard-line pro-independence Kanak Djubelly Wea. Valls attended most of these commemoration ceremonies, at the weekend. On 5 May 1998, the Nouméa Accord, now aged 27, was signed between New Caledonia's parties and then French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin. The Nouméa pact, which is often regarded as a de facto Constitution, was placing a particular stress on the notions of "re-balancing" economic wealth, a "common destiny" for all ethnic communities "living together" and a gradual transfer of powers from Paris to Nouméa. The Accord also prescribed that if three self-determination referendums (initially scheduled between 2014 and 2018) had produced three rejections (in the form of "no"), then all political stakeholders were supposed to "meet and examine the situation thus generated". The current talks aimed at arriving at a new document, which was destined to replace the ageing Nouméa Accord and bring New Caledonia closer to having its own Constitution. Valls said he was determined to "finalise New Caledonia's decolonisation" process.
