New Caledonia votes in first provincial polls since 2019, turnout drops sharply as loyalists gain ground
New Caledonia's first provincial elections since 2019 saw a sharp drop in turnout on Sunday, with early indications pointing to stronger loyalist representation in Congress while the independence camp held steady. The calm vote is set to shape negotiations over the archipelago's institutional future, deadlocked since deadly riots in May 2024.
Drop in participation
Calm voting marked the day, but turnout was visibly lower than in 2019.
The exact figures were not immediately available, but the decline was confirmed by multiple sources on the ground.Fewer voters turned out than in 2019.
Political landscape reshaped
The loyalist right emerged strengthened, according to Le Figaro, while pro-independence parties maintained their support. The results, still awaited on Sunday evening, are expected to redraw the balance of power in the Congress of New Caledonia.
Institutional deadlock after deadly riots
These elections are the first since the May 2024 riots that left the archipelago's political future in limbo. The violence, described as deadly, halted institutional negotiations that had been underway since the previous provincial vote in 2019.
What comes next
With the election behind, attention now turns to renewed talks with the Lecornu government in Paris. The new provincial assembly will play a decisive role in shaping the framework for a future status for New Caledonia, a process that has been stalled for two years.
- Deadly riots break out in New Caledonia, stalling institutional negotiations.
- Provincial elections held with sharply lower turnout; loyalists gain ground, independence camp holds steady.
