France's New Caledonia set for final independence referendum in December

Up to three referenda were permitted under the terms of the 1998 Noumea Accord, an agreement enshrined in France’s constitution and which set out a 20-year path towards decolonization. New Caledonia, which rejected independence from France in previous referenda in 2018 and 2020, enjoys a large degree of autonomy but depends heavily on France for matters such as defense and education.

The French Pacific island of New Caledonia, which has rejected two previous referenda on independence from France, will have a third and final referendum on Dec. 12, French government minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Wednesday.

A vote for independence would be followed by a two-year transition period to allow the French state to "clarify" its relations with New Caledonia, he said. "The government of the Republic will organize and call voters concerned by this consultation on Dec. 12, 2021" Lecornu told reporters following a meeting of the French cabinet.

New Caledonia, which houses business operations for Brazilian multinational mining company Vale and French mining group Eramet, has been hit by riots in recent months. Up to three referenda were permitted under the terms of the 1998 Noumea Accord, an agreement enshrined in France’s constitution and which set out a 20-year path towards decolonization.

New Caledonia, which rejected independence from France in previous referenda in 2018 and 2020, enjoys a large degree of autonomy but depends heavily on France for matters such as defense and education. The archipelago became a French colony in 1853. Tensions have long run deep between pro-independence indigenous Kanaks and descendants of colonial settlers who remain loyal to Paris.

Under French colonial rule, the Kanaks were confined to reserves and excluded from much of the island’s economy. The first revolt erupted in 1878, not long after the discovery of large nickel deposits. New Caledonia lies some 1,200 km (750 miles) east of Australia and 20,000 km (12,500 miles) from Paris.

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