New Caledonia groups sign accord on French territory's future
The draft deal signed early Saturday among the groups and the government would create a New Caledonia state that would nevertheless remain part of France, according to a post by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. While details of the agreement weren't immediately released, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said in a post on X that it includes "expanded local powers, an unfreezing of the electorate and possible international recognition."
In 2024, a since-shelved government bill aimed at expanding the number of residents eligible to vote inflamed tensions with the indigenous Kanak population, who said it would dilute their power. The Kanaks, the largest indigenous group on the islands, have long complained of being sidelined by the descendants of European settlers.
France's parliament is expected to meet late this year to approve the constitutional change needed for the agreement, ahead of a referendum in the archipelago in early 2026, Agence France-Presse reported.
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