After ten days of tense talks in Paris, New Caledonia’s pro-independence and loyalist leaders have signed a political blueprint that could reshape their relationship with France.
The deal, signed on 12 July, establishes a state of New Caledonia within the French Republic. It introduces a unique status under France’s constitution and aims for wider international recognition.
A new foundational law, expected in 2026, will let Caledonians redefine their identity, including the territory’s name, flag, anthem and motto. While defence and foreign policy will remain with Paris, New Caledonia will gain more room to act abroad, especially in trade and regional forums, through a new joint dialogue with France.
Security will be shared. Local police forces will operate alongside French armed forces, which will keep protecting the territory.
One of the most debated changes is the electoral reform. Anyone living in New Caledonia for at least 15 years will now be able to vote in local elections. This could bring in over 12,000 new voters and may reduce the political weight of the indigenous Kanak population.
From 2026, dual citizenship will also start. Caledonians will hold both French and Caledonian citizenship and keep their EU rights.
The agreement promises a strong economic plan, including tighter oversight of nickel resources and investments in health, education, and transport. Oversight will be led by a mission under the French Prime Minister.
But the blueprint is not law yet. It must be approved by the Kanak people in a 2026 vote. While leaders present it as a breakthrough, divisions remain strong on the islands.
President Emmanuel Macron played a central role. Facing rising domestic and international pressure, Paris chose dialogue over control.
International support, including from groups like the Baku Initiative Group, helped push New Caledonia’s self-determination case to the global stage.
Crucially, the constitutional changes needed for this plan challenge France’s long-held belief in an unchangeable founding law.
What happens next could influence other regions, such as Corsica, seeking more autonomy within France.
It marks a historic shift. Forged in Paris, but echoing far beyond New Caledonia.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working urgently to mend strained ties with Mexico, after relations collapsed late last year when Canadian offi...
U.S. President Donald Trump should proceed with imposing additional sanctions on Russia, as they could help bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Finlan...
Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a new military plan to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in its nearly two-year con...
Russia and Ukraine have traded fresh strikes amid mounting international pressure to end the ongoing conflict, as the Kremlin confirms that President ...
De-dollarisation, the move away from the U.S. dollar in global trade and finance, is no longer a fringe idea. As geopolitical tensions rise and new fi...
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working urgently to mend strained ties with Mexico, after relations collapsed late last year when Canadian officials indicated a preference for pursuing a U.S. trade deal without Mexico.
U.S. President Donald Trump should proceed with imposing additional sanctions on Russia, as they could help bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Friday in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in the UK for a working visit with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, as political tensions and protests loom over U.S. foreign policy.
Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a new military plan to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in its nearly two-year conflict with Hamas and raising alarm among humanitarian agencies over the deepening crisis for civilians in the enclave.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is working urgently to mend strained ties with Mexico, after relations collapsed late last year when Canadian officials indicated a preference for pursuing a U.S. trade deal without Mexico.
U.S. President Donald Trump should proceed with imposing additional sanctions on Russia, as they could help bring the war in Ukraine to an end, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Friday in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview.
Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved a new military plan to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in its nearly two-year conflict with Hamas and raising alarm among humanitarian agencies over the deepening crisis for civilians in the enclave.
Russia and Ukraine have traded fresh strikes amid mounting international pressure to end the ongoing conflict, as the Kremlin confirms that President Vladimir Putin will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in the UK for a working visit with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, as political tensions and protests loom over U.S. foreign policy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment