New Caledonia Holds First Provincial Elections Since 2019

Voters in New Caledonia cast ballots on Sunday in the territory's first provincial elections since 2019, a long-delayed vote seen as crucial for shaping future negotiations with France over the archipelago's political status. Polling stations across the French Pacific territory opened under a heavy security presence, with approximately 2,500 police officers deployed to ensure safety.

The elections will determine the composition of three provincial assemblies, which in turn select 54 members for New Caledonia's Congress, the main local governing body. A total of 192,584 registered voters were eligible to participate in selecting 76 provincial councillors. The vote, originally scheduled for 2024, was postponed three times following deadly riots in May of that year that left 14 people dead and caused extensive economic damage.

The campaign was largely contested between two traditional blocs: parties advocating for independence and those seeking to remain part of France. The pro-France loyalist parties united behind a single list, while the main pro-independence coalition, the FLNKS, faced competition from other independence-supporting groups running separately. A notable number of...