Government & politics — New Caledonia

• none (overseas collectivity of France)
• note - in three independence referenda, on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo
• an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place

• history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with change
• s as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply

• chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissio
• ner Louise LEFRANC (since 6 February 2023) head of government: President of the Government Louis MAPOU (since 22 July 2021); Vic
• e President Isabelle CHAMPMOREAU (since 22 July 2021) cabinet: Cabinet electe
• d from and by the Territorial Congress elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last h
• eld on 8 July 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: 2021: Louis MAPOU (PALIKA) elec
• ted president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes 2019: Thierry SANTA (The Republicans) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes

Description

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms);

Note

the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term

Elections

Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held on 30 September 2026) French National Assembly - election last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027)

• election results: Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party - Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); French
• Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 French
• National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2

• highest court(s): Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA); note - final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative
• Court of Appeal (in Paris) judge selection and term of office: judge appointment an
• Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts

Summary

3 provinces

Regions or States

• Province Iles (Islands Province)
• Province Nord (North Province)
• and Province Sud (South Province)

• Caledonia Together or CE [Philippe GOMES]
• Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]
• Future With Confidence or AEC [Virginie RUFFENACH]
• Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) [Victor TUTUGORO]
• Labor Party or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI]
• National Union for Independence or UNI [Louis MAPOU]
• Oceanian Awakening [Milakulo TUKUMULI]
• Party of Kanak Liberation or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]
• Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Basile CITRE]
• The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) [Sonia BACKES]

embassy

none (overseas territory of France)

• none (overseas territory of France)

• special collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998
• note - independence referenda took place on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021 with a majority voting in each case to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo
• an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place