 |
|---|
| This article is part ofa series on |
 |
|---|
Related topics |
 France portal |
New Caledonia is a Frenchsui generis collectivity with a system of government based onparliamentarism andrepresentative democracy. The President of the Government is thehead of government, and there is amulti-party system, withExecutive power being exercised by the government.Legislative power is vested in both theexecutive and theCongress of New Caledonia. Thejudiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
Article 77 of theConstitution of France and theOrganic Law 99-209 confers a unique status on New Caledonia between that of an independent country and a regularcollectivité d'outre-mer or overseascollectivité of France. A territorial congress and government have been established, and the 1998Nouméa Accord organized a devolution of powers. Key areas such as taxation, labor law, health and hygiene and foreign trade are already in the hands of the Congress. Further powers will supposedly be given to the Congress in the near future.[1][2][3][4]
Under article 4 of theOrganic Law 99-209 aNew Caledonian citizenship has also been introduced: only New Caledonian citizens (defined by article 188) have the right to vote in the local elections.[5][2] This measure has been criticized, because it creates a second-class status for French citizens living in New Caledonia who do not possess New Caledonian citizenship (because they settled in the territory only recently). New Caledonia is also allowed to engage in international cooperation with independent countries of thePacific Ocean. Finally, the territorial Congress is allowed to pass statutes that are contrary toFrench law in a certain number of areas.[2][6]
On the other hand, New Caledonia remains an integral part of the French Republic. Inhabitants of New Caledonia are French citizens and carry French passports. They take part in the legislative and presidential French elections. New Caledonia sendstwo representatives to theFrench National Assembly and two senators to theFrench Senate. The representative of the French central state in New Caledonia is theHigh Commissioner of the Republic (Haut-Commissaire de la République, locally known as "haussaire"), who is the head of civil services, and who sits in the government of the territory.[7][8][9]
TheNouméa Accord stipulates that the Congress will have the right to call for areferendum onindependence after 2014, at a time of its choosing. Following the timeline set by the Nouméa Accord, the groundwork was laid for a Referendum on full independence from France at a meeting chaired by the French Prime MinisterÉdouard Philippe on 2 November 2017, with the referendum to be held byNovember 2018.[3][10] Voter list eligibility had been a subject of a long dispute, but the details were resolved at this meeting.[11] In the 2018 referendum, voters narrowly chose to remain a part of France. Two further referendums were permitted, being held in2020 and2021. 2020 saw slimmer margins than in the 2018 referendum, with 46.74% in favor of independence, while the 2021 vote overwhelmingly rejected independence, with 96.49% against it but on only a 43.87% turnout.[12] Kanak communities largely boycotted this referendum, advised by their leadership and still in mourning following mortality in the covid-19 pandemic.[13]
The current president of the government elected by the Congress isLouis Mapou, from the pro-independencePalika political party.[14][15]
In May 2024,riots broke out following controversial voting reforms.[16]
On 13 July 2025, the Elysée Palace signed an institutional development agreement for New Caledonia between French and Caledonian elected officials,[17] known as theBougival Accord. It took place after months of negotiations concluded with an agreement between all parties New Caledonia should remain within France, but with far greater levels of autonomy, the status of a state, and a dual citizenship arrangement for those that wish it.[18] The agreement will require ratification by both chambers of the French parliamentary system, and a probably referendum in New Caledonia in 2026. Initial thoughts on the deal suggest it is not what independence supporters hoped for, but statehood is a major concession by France.[19]
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Commissioner | Louis Le Franc | 6 February 2023 | |
| President of the Government | Louis Mapou | National Union for Independence-Palika | 22 July 2021 |
The high commissioner is appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior. The president of the government is elected by the members of the Territorial Congress.
TheCongress (Congrès) has 54 members, being the members of the three regional councils, all elected for a five-year term byproportional representation. Furthermore, there is a 16-member Kanak Customary Senate (two members from each of the eight customary aires).
  Seats won by Provincial assemblies (left) and Congress (right) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
| Provincial assemblies | +/– | Congress | +/– | |||||
| Future with Confidence | 32,336 | 29.35 | 23 | +7 | 18 | +5 | ||
| Caledonia Together | 15,948 | 14.48 | 9 | –11 | 7 | –8 | ||
| Caledonian Union–FLNKS | 14,255 | 12.94 | 15 | –2 | 9 | –1 | ||
| National Union for Independence | 12,679 | 11.51 | 14 | +3 | 9 | +2 | ||
| Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front | 11,269 | 10.23 | 7 | +1 | 6 | +1 | ||
| Oceanian Awakening | 6,077 | 5.52 | 4 | New | 3 | New | ||
| Labour Party | 4,182 | 3.80 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| National Rally | 2,707 | 2.46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Citizens' Alliance | 2,043 | 1.85 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| New Independence and Sovereignty Movement | 1,971 | 1.79 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Building Differently | 1,852 | 1.68 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Common Caledonian Destiny | 1,667 | 1.51 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Kanak Socialist Liberation | 1,536 | 1.39 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| New and Reunited Caledonia | 841 | 0.76 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Unitary Kanaky Generation | 800 | 0.73 | 0 | New | 0 | New | ||
| Total | 110,163 | 100.00 | 76 | 0 | 54 | 0 | ||
| Valid votes | 110,163 | 97.70 | ||||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2,597 | 2.30 | ||||||
| Total votes | 112,760 | 100.00 | ||||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 169,635 | 66.47 | ||||||
| Source:New Caledonia Government | ||||||||
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
New Caledonia is divided into threeprovinces:Province des Îles,Province Nord, andProvince Sud - which are further subdivided into 33communes.
{{cite web}}:|last2= has generic name (help)