On the eve of the National Assembly’s consideration of a separatist-contested constitutional reform aimed at expanding the electorate in New Caledonia’s provincial elections, Emmanuel Macron proposes inviting all neo-party Caledonian authorities to Paris to resume dialogue on the institutional future of the archipelago.
“Confirming his desire to prioritize dialogue as part of the path to the future that he called for to build in Nouméa last July, the President of the Republic asked that all representatives be invited to Paris to meet with the government,” we explained at the Elysée.
This constitutional reform, already passed by the Senate, is being considered on Monday and Tuesday by the Assembly, where the government hopes for identical adoption. The text then had to be adopted by all parliamentarians meeting in the Congress at Versailles, by three-fifths of the votes cast.
Dialogue at a dead end
But Emmanuel Macron promised he would not convene Congress “immediately” if the text was adopted. However, in principle the date of entry into force of this text is scheduled for 1 July 2024. Which leaves little time for these discussions with representatives of New Caledonia and for the convening of Congress.
The government project aims to integrate residents who have lived for at least ten years into the electorate. The goal is to correct the “freezing” of this electoral body, which is depriving provincial voters of almost one in five of the right to vote. In principle, the next provincial elections should take place before December 15, 2024.
In July 2023, during a trip to Noumea, and again in September 2023, during a meeting at the Elysee Palace, Emmanuel Macron had already called on stakeholders to reach a global institutional agreement, but since then to no avail.
Mired in a deep economic crisis and suffering from a struggling nickel sector, New Caledonia has been experiencing tension for days, with daily mobilizations and several arrests.
Source: Le Parisien
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