An agreement has been reached in France to create a “State of New Caledonia” with a special status
In Paris, an agreement was reached between supporters of maintaining ties with France and representatives of the independence camp of New Caledonia on the creation of an autonomous structure within the French Republic. About this informsPolitician.
After ten days of intensive negotiations in the suburb of Bugival, the parties agreed to the formation of the “State of New Caledonia” with expanded self-government rights. This new status is planned to be fixed at the level of the French Constitution. The document, which is being prepared for publication, talks about the introduction of a separate national identity for the residents of the autonomous community along with French citizenship, as well as the right to conduct separate international contacts.
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou called the reached agreement “historic” and emphasized that the new management model will take into account the specifics of the region within the national legal field.
Separately, France has undertaken to strengthen support for the archipelago’s economic development, particularly in the critically important nickel mining sector.
The agreement must pass a local referendum, after which it will be considered by the French parliament.
It will be recalled that in May 2024 mass protests broke out on the islands, caused by Paris’ plans to change the voting rules. The proposed expansion of the electorate at the expense of the French arriving from the mainland caused opposition from the indigenous population, who saw it as a threat to the independence movement.
