Voters in the New Caledonia independence referendum have rejected a bid for the state to gain independence from France.
56.4 per cent of residents of the island, situated in the Pacific Ocean to the east of Australia, voted to remain as a French territory. The remain camp had been predicted to win by a higher margin and it has been suggested the unexpectedly close result could be used to force a second New Caledonia independence referendum in two years: New Caledonia’s current agreements with France make provisions for a further two referenda to potentially be held before 2022.
New Caledonia was first colonised by France in 1853, initially as a penal colony. In the 1980s it saw deadly conflict between the French army and the indigenous Kanak tribe, which was agitating for independence from France. After tensions escalated into a hostage situation followed by military intervention, during which two French soldiers, four French police officers and 19 Kanak separatists were killed, representatives of the pro- and anti-independence sides came together in 1988 to sign an agreement to end the violence. The Matignon agreements of 1988 promised a 10-year development period to be followed by a potential New Caledonia independence referendum in 1998.
The Nouméa Accord, agreed on by pro- and anti-independence groups and representatives of the French parliament and approved by a referendum in 1998, proposed another 20 years under French governance, with some local political power devolved to the Kanaks. Once this period ended in November 2018, the accord specified a New Caledonia independence referendum must take place.
New Caledonia contains around a quarter of the world’s nickel deposits and is seen by France as a vital strategic resource. While some local powers have been devolved, the island’s inhabitants are French citizens with the ability to vote in French and European elections; and France controls New Caledonian policy on matters such as military and foreign policy, immigration and currency. Around 175,000 inhabitants were eligible to vote in the New Caledonia independence referendum, which enjoyed a voter turnout of 81 per cent.
French President Emmanuel Macron lauded the New Caledonia independence referendum result, saying: “I have to tell you how proud I am that we have finally passed this historic step together…it is a mark of trust for France, our future and our values. Every one of us can feel and share in this pride.”
