ISTANBUL
The pro-independence Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) in the French territory of New Caledonia voiced opposition Friday to the postponement of the island’s regional elections, calling on Paris to hold the vote next month using the current electoral roll, France Info reported.
The FLNKS held a news conference in the capital, Noumea, to express its rejection of plans to delay regional elections, France Info reported.
Members said they were “disappointed” by the French Senate’s recent approval of a bill seeking to postpone the vote until next year. The bill is expected to be discussed next week in the lower house, the National Assembly.
FLNKS member Romuald Pidjot criticized the decision, saying, “They are repeating the same mistakes,” noting that previous delays and changes to the voter list had already sparked unrest.
“This led to the May 13 (2024) uprising, in which 15 people were killed,” he added.
Regional elections in the Pacific archipelago have already been postponed twice since last year.
On July 12, representatives from New Caledonia and the French government signed the Bougival Agreement in the Paris suburb with the same name, establishing a “special-status state within France.”
The 13-page document outlines that New Caledonia will remain “attached to France” while creating a distinct New Caledonian citizenship. It grants voting rights to those born on the island or who have resided there continuously for at least 15 years.
It also calls for a referendum to ratify the agreement and introduces a strategic plan for managing the island’s rich nickel resources, largely exploited by French companies.
New Caledonia, located nearly 17,000 kilometers (10,500 miles) from mainland France, was rocked by violent unrest in May 2024 after the French government pushed forward a constitutional reform allowing long-term French residents on the island to vote, contradicting the 1998 Noumea Accord, which granted autonomy to the indigenous Kanak population.
The protests, led by pro-independence groups, were violently suppressed by French security forces, leaving more than 10 people dead.
Following the unrest, the French government resumed dialogue with independence leaders, paving the way for the Bougival Agreement earlier this year.
