France vows additional autonomy to overseas territory following conflict

2025-07-14 02:12:55

(MENAFN) France has agreed to provide increased autonomy to its Pacific territory of New Caledonia, though it stopped short of granting the full independence demanded by some indigenous Kanak groups.

The agreement comes after violent unrest last year sparked by protests over proposed changes to the voting system, which resulted in 14 deaths and approximately €2 billion ($2.3 billion) in damages.

Signed Saturday at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the deal establishes New Caledonia as the ‘State of New Caledonia,’ with its status formally recognized in the French Constitution. It introduces a new nationality status for residents, allowing them to hold it alongside French citizenship, and leaves open the possibility of international recognition.

The accord also features a financial recovery plan aimed at revitalizing the local economy, including renewing New Caledonia’s nickel processing industry. The French Parliament is expected to approve the agreement in late 2025, with a referendum planned in the territory for 2026.

French President Emmanuel Macron described the deal as “a bet on trust” and expressed hope for unity and stability on social media. Kanak lawmaker Emmanuel Tjibaou said the agreement offers a way to end the cycle of violence.

Home to around 270,000 people, New Caledonia has been a French colony since the 19th century and has experienced a persistent independence movement since the 1980s. Three referendums held between 2018 and 2021 rejected independence, though the last vote was boycotted by pro-independence groups due to the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the Kanak population.

Tensions escalated in May 2024 when France proposed extending voting rights to thousands of long-term non-indigenous residents, which Kanak leaders argued would solidify their minority status and undermine hopes for sovereignty. The new agreement restricts voting rights to residents who have lived in New Caledonia for at least ten years.

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