2024 New Caledonia unrest

2024 New Caledonia unrest
Part of the protests against Emmanuel Macron
Date	13 May 2024 – present (4 days)
Location	New Caledonia
Caused by	Attempt to reform France's constitution
Goals	Independence of New Caledonia from France
Methods	Protests, riots, arson, looting
Status	Ongoing
Parties
Protesters Caledonian Union Supported by: Azerbaijan (alleged) France New Caledonia Counter-protesters FLNKS
Casualties
Death(s)	5
Injuries	300+
Arrested	200+

In May 2024, protests broke out in New Caledonia, a sui generis collectivity of overseas France in the Pacific Ocean. Violence broke out following a controversial voting reform aiming to ease existing restrictions which prevent up to one fifth of the population from voting in provincial elections.

Context

"Frozen" electorate

As part of the Nouméa Accord of 1998, the population of New Caledonia continue to vote in national elections—for the French president and National Assembly—but the number of people who can vote in provincial elections as well as independence referendums is restricted. This so-called "frozen electorate" consists only of those who were already living in New Caledonia in 1998 as well as their children, with the condition that they lived continuously on the Islands in the ten years previous to each election. This effectively deprived of voting rights the later migrants and their children from European France as well as the important local community originating from Polynesia, in particular from Wallis and Futuna. Excluded voters amounted to 8,000 in 1999, 18,000 in 2009 and 42,000 in 2023. That last year, the frozen electorate numbered 178,000 while the total electorate able to vote in national elections amounted to 220,000, thus excluding one voter out of five from participating in provincial elections.

Following a ruling by the Constitutional Council in 1999 attempting to limit the restriction to a ten-year limit, a so-called "slippery electorate", French president Jacques Chirac amended the constitution in 2007 to include back the "frozen electorate" rule on the request of independentists. This was ruled as valid "as part of a decolonization process" and "only if temporary" by the European Court of Human Rights.

Situation after independence referendums

New Caledonia then had three consecutive independence referendums (in 2018, 2020 and 2021), all of which voted to remain a part of France, although the 2021 referendum was boycotted by most supporters of independence. The situation made the transition in need of an end via a change of institutions to a definitive form, and simultaneously required that any change had to be made through a revision of the constitution.

The refusal of the independentists to recognize the result of the third referendum, which they boycotted, led to an institutional deadlock as local talks ground to a halt, while the next provincial election—scheduled for 15 December 2024—loomed closer. On 26 December 2023, the Conseil d'État concluded that the current rules deviate in a particularly significant way from the principles of universality and equality of suffrage, by denying the right to vote people born in New Caledonia or who have resided there for several decades.

At the beginning of 2024, the French government thus began a revision of the constitution which would unfreeze the electorate by keeping only the ten-year limit, making it "slippery" again. This was estimated to allow around 25,000 people into the electorate out of the 42,000 excluded. It included a clause that would prevent it to be implemented if a local deal between independentists and loyalists was made at the very least ten days before the election.

Response to the bill

Local leaders said that giving "foreigners" the right to vote would dilute the vote of indigenous Kanak people. New Caledonian independence has also been a factor.

Unrest

Supermarkets and car dealerships were looted and vehicles and businesses were burned. Areas affected include Nouméa and the neighbouring towns of Dumbéa and Le Mont-Dore. Authorities imposed a curfew and public gatherings were banned for two days. The French Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced that police reinforcements were being sent to the island. Thirty-six protesters were arrested.

Clashes erupted between independentists and loyalists who want to remain part of France. Three Kanak protestors were killed during a drive-by shooting, while a gendarme was killed in an ambush.

Prime Minister of France Gabriel Attal deployed the army to protect ports and airports, and issued a ban on TikTok in response, which French authorities said had previously been used to organize riots.

On 16 May, the death of a French gendarme in New Caledonia from accidental gunshot wounds was announced by Gérald Darmanin in a message to Agence France-Presse. Darmanin accused Azerbaijan of interfering in the unrest on France 2, saying "L'Azerbaïdjan, ce n'est pas un fantasme, c'est une réalité" (Azerbaijan is not a fantasy, it is a reality), referring to a previous claim the country was stirring troubles in New Caledonia in retaliation for French military aid to Armenia. He then accused independentists of having made a deal with Baku. Azerbaijan later rejected Darmanin's accusations.

Casualties

Between 13 and 16 May, five people were killed, including two gendarmes. Another 64 police officers were injured..

Damage

On May 16 the looting and destruction cost more than £200 million in damage. More than 150 firms were destroyed and about 1,750 jobs were lost.

See also

• 2024 Mayotte crisis