Politics of New Caledonia
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The politics of New Caledonia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French overseas country, whereby the President of the Government is the head of government, and of a multi-party system, with Executive power being exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Congress. The largest party is the conservative Rally for Caledonia in the Republic and the independence National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front FLNKS [1], though in the last series of elections the liberal Future Together became the second largest political party. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
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[edit] Political developments
The unique status of New Caledonia is in between that of an independent country and a regular overseas collectivité of France. On the one hand, a Congress and a government have been established, and a devolution of powers is organized by the 1998 Nouméa Accord. Key areas such as taxation, labor law, health and hygiene and foreign trade are already in the hands of the Congress. Further competence will supposedly be given to the Congress in the near future. Eventually, the French Republic should only remain competent for foreign affairs, justice, defence, public order, and treasury.
A New Caledonian "citizenship" has also been introduced: only New Caledonian "citizens" have the right to vote in the local elections. 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 recently). New Caledonia is also allowed to engage in international cooperation with independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. Finally, the territorial Congress is allowed to pass statutes that are derogatory to French law in a certain number of areas.
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 sends two representatives to the French National Assembly and one senator to the French Senate. The representative of the French central state in New Caledonia is the High Commissioner of the Republic (Haut-Commissaire de la République, locally known as "haussaire"), who is the head of civil services, and who seats in the government of the territory.
It was decided in the Nouméa Accord that the Congress will have the right to call for a referendum on independence after 2014, at a time of its choosing.
The current president of the government elected by the Congress is Marie-Noëlle Thémereau, from the loyalist (i.e. anti-independence) "Future Together" party (l'Avenir Ensemble), which toppled the long-time ruling Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (RPCR) in May 2004. "Future Together" is a party of mostly Caucasian and Polynesian New Caledonians opposed to independence but tired of the hegemonic and allegedly corrupt anti-independence RPCR. Their toppling of the RPCR (that was until then seen as the only voice of New Caledonian whites) was a surprise to many, and a sign that the society of New Caledonia is undergoing changes. "Future together", as the name implies, is opposed to a racial vision of New Caledonian society, opposing Melanesians native inhabitants and European settlers, and is in favor of a multicultural New Caledonia, better reflecting the existence of large populations of Polynesians, Indonesians, Chinese, and other immigrants. Some members of "Future Together" are even in favor of independence, though not necessarily on the same basis as the Melanesian independence parties.
[edit] Executive branch
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Commissioner | Michel Mathieu | 9 September 2005 | |
| President of the Government | Harold Martin | FT | 7 August 2007 |
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.
[edit] Legislative branch
The Congress's (Congrès) has 54 members, being the members of the three regional councils, all elected for a five year term by proportional representation. Furthermore there is a 16 member Kanak Customary Senate (two members from each of the eight customary aires).
[edit] Political parties and elections
| Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (Rassemblement pour une Calédonie dans la République) | 21,880 | 24.43% | 16 |
| Future Together (Avenir ensemble) | 20,328 | 22.69% | 16 |
| National Front (Front national) | 6,684 | 7.46% | 4 |
| Other anti-independence lists | 1,831 | 2.04% | 0 |
| Total Anti-independence | 50,723 | 56.63% | 36 |
| National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (Union nationale pour l'indépendance - Front de libération nationale kanak et socialiste) | 14,651 | 16.36% | 8 |
| Caledonian Union (Union calédonienne) | 10,623 | 11.86% | 7 |
| Other independence lists | 4,631 | 5.17% | 0 |
| Union of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees (Union des comités de la Coopération pour l'Indépendance) | 2,864 | 3.20% | 1 |
| Socialist Kanak Liberation (Libération kanak socialiste) | 2,575 | 2.87% | 1 |
| Renewed Caledonian Union (Union calédonienne renouveau) | 1,587 | 1.77% | 1 |
| Total independence | 36,931 | 41,24% | 18 |
| Caledonia my country (Calédonie mon pays) | 1,908 | 2.13% | 0 |
| Total (turnout 76.44%) | 54 |
[edit] Parliamentarians
- Gaël Yanno (first constituency, UMP) elected 2007
- Pierre Frogier (second constituency, UMP) re-elected 2007
- Simon Loueckhote (Rassemblement-UMP) elected 2001
[edit] Judicial branch
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
[edit] Administrative divisions
New Caledonia is divided in 3 provinces: Province des Îles, Province Nord, and Province Sud - which are further subdivided into 33 communes.
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[edit] International organization participation
ESCAP (associate), CFP franc, Pacific Islands Forum (associate), ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO,
[edit] External links
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