Who is new caledonias president

Prior referendums in and both failed to win a majority in favour of independence, but support for the remaining part of France dropped from New Caledonia lies some 1, km miles east of Australia and 20, km 12, miles from Paris.

Under French colonial rule, the Kanaks were confined to reserves and excluded from much of the island's economy. The first revolt erupted in , not long after the discovery of large nickel deposits.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin EMail. A decade later, the Noumea Agreement granted New Caledonia political power and broad autonomy and plans for up to three referendums. In October, a majority of voters chose to remain part of France instead of backing independence, leading French President Emmanuel Macron to call for dialogue. The referendum was among the final steps in longstanding plans to settle tensions between Kanak people who favored independence and residents willing to remain in France.

Two years ago, The third referendum is set for Dec. Daily newsletter Receive essential international news every morning. Louis Mapou is a longtime independence activist in the Southern Province where the capital Noumea is based. PA , which runs nickel mines, the Doniambo ferro-nickel plant near the port of Noumea, and a refinery that produces a type of nickel that can be used in electric vehicle batteries.

Speaking in French shortly after his election Louis Mapou was quoted by local media as having said "It is an honor and a heavy responsibility. Louis Mapou's election to the presidency came after a five month deadlock with fellow pro independence MP Samuel Hnepeune.

Nic Maclellan says a surprising development is that Samuel Hnepeune has announced he will be stepping down from the collegial government. Next inline to fill his spot on the UC list is a member of the Pacific Awakening Party who missed out on a place in government during the election. The party, which represents mainly people originally from Wallis and Futuna, has usually been the king maker in government but missed out on a spot this time round courtesy of some strategic voting by the anti-independence groups.

Four of them voted for former president Thierry Santa. The New Caledonian government operates under a consociational system in which both pro-independence and unionist parties must be represented. Until , the cabinet had always had a unionist majority, reflecting the unionist majority in the New Caledonian Congress, the body responsible for picking up cabinet members.