29/06/2026 10:55 - Internacionales
Polling stations opened this Sunday, June 28, 2026 in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory located in the South Pacific, roughly 1,500 kilometers east of Australia. These are the first provincial elections since 2019, after multiple postponements due to deadlocked negotiations over the archipelago's political future.
The election is taking place under an unprecedented security deployment: approximately 2,400 law enforcement officers have been deployed across the territory and will remain until mid-July, according to Agence France-Presse.
New Caledonia is a French overseas territory in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, about 1,500 km east of Australia. It has a population of approximately 280,000 people and is known for its rich nickel reserves and stunning biodiversity.
Of the 76 elected councilors, 54 will become members of Congress, the main legislative body for the territory.
The Congress will then elect up to 11 members for the collegial government, the local executive power.
The independence question remains the central axis of local politics. Pro-independence groups, with strong support among the indigenous Kanak population (the native Melanesian inhabitants who comprise about 40% of the population), rejected the so-called Bougival Agreement—a pact with France that would have created a "Caledonian" state and its own nationality, but eliminated any future referendum on independence.
The Kanak are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia. They have a distinct cultural identity and are the main supporters of the independence movement. Under the 1998 Nouméa Accord, they were granted special civil status and certain protections.
The territory has already held three referendums on its status:
| Year | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Majority voted to remain with France | Participatory vote |
| 2020 | Majority voted to remain with France | Participatory vote |
| 2021 | Majority voted to remain with France | Boycotted by pro-independence movement |
The third referendum, held during the Covid-19 pandemic, was boycotted by pro-independence groups who argued that health conditions prevented a fair vote.
These elections are taking place more than two years after violent riots shook New Caledonia. A previous plan to extend voting rights to thousands of long-term non-indigenous residents sparked clashes that resulted in:
Deaths
In damages
Of delays
The riots highlighted the deep divisions between pro-independence Kanaks and pro-France loyalists, many of whom are descendants of European settlers and other immigrant communities.
A law passed in May 2026 added approximately 10,575 "native" residents previously excluded from the electoral roll, including more than 4,000 people with "customary civil status"—a category that identifies Kanak people.
This change expanded the number of eligible voters, after years in which the electoral roll was frozen under the historic 1998 Nouméa Accord—a key agreement that set the path for New Caledonia's autonomy within France.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has pledged that negotiations on the territory's future will resume next month, with the goal of reaching an agreement before the end of the year. The results of this election will determine the balance of power in New Caledonia and the strength with which each bloc will negotiate with Paris.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
