By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk
New Caledonia’s newly-installed government has elected pro-France Alcide Ponga as territorial President.
Ponga, 49, is also the first indigenous Kanak president of the pro-France Le Rassemblement-Les Républicains (LR) party.
His election came after the first attempt to elect a President, on Tuesday, failed to bring out a sufficient majority within the 11-member cabinet.
Yesterday, during a meeting convened by the French High Commission, Ponga received the support of six of the 11 government members.
These include the four government members from his caucus (Les Loyalistes-Rassemblement), plus the decisive votes from moderate pro-France Calédonie Ensemble’s Jérémie Katidjo-Monnier and Petelo Sao from the Eveil Océanien.
Samuel Hnepeune, the candidate supported by the pro-independence camp, received three votes, from Union Calédonienne (UC)-FLNKS.
Two other agenda items
A more moderate component of the pro-independence group, Union National pour l’Indépendance (UNI) and its two government members, chose to abstain.
However, two other outstanding items on the new government’s agenda remain: the election of a vice-president and the allotment of the government’s portfolios for each minister.
Under the principle of a “collegial” cabinet, the pro-independence camp should get the position of vice-president. But the two main pro-independence groups represented in the government (UNI and UC) said they needed more time to agree on a common candidate.
Under the organic law of New Caledonia, even if the vice-president’s position is not filled, the new government is deemed to be fully operational within seven days following the election of its members.
Who is Alcide Ponga?
Alcide Ponga comes from a historically pro-France (“loyalist”) indigenous Kanak lineage and family which includes his father, mother and uncle having held high political positions in New Caledonia’s institutions, all under the then prominent pro-France Rassemblement pour la République (RPCR) headed by historic figure Jacques Lafleur.
His uncle, Maurice Ponga, was also an MP in the European Parliament.
With this family background, Alcide Ponga, who holds a Master in Political Science, joined politics in 2013.
Since 2014, he has been and remains the Mayor of New Caledonia’s small town of Kouaoua, a nickel-mining settlement where he was born.
He became president of the Rassemblement-LR in April 2024.
In June 2024, he was one of the candidates at the French snap general elections, but lost to pro-independence Emmanuel Tjibaou (who won with 57.12 percent of the vote in New Caledonia’s second constituency).
In the private sector, he has also held high positions in the nickel mining industry, including at the Northern Province’s Koniambo Nickel (KNS) company (2010-2024) and before that at the French Société Le Nickel (SLN).
New Caledonia’s 18th government was elected on Tuesday by the French Pacific territory’s Congress.
The new Cabinet
The new 11-seat Cabinet is made up of:
- 4 members from the Loyalistes/Rassemblement (LR) caucus — Alcide Ponga, Isabelle Champmoreau, Christopher Gygès and Thierry Santa
- 3 members from the Union Calédonienne-FLNKS caucus — Gilbert Tyuienon, Mickaël Forrest and Samuel Hnepeune
- 2 members from the Union Nationale pour l’Indépendance (UNI) caucus — Adolphe Digoué and Claude Gambey
- 2 members from the Calédonie Ensemble/Éveil Océanien caucus — Jérémie Katidjo-Monnier (Calédonie Ensemble) and Petelo Sao (Éveil Océanien)
Ponga replaces pro-independence Louis Mapou, whose government fell just before Christmas.
During his tenure (July 2021 – December 2024), Mapou faced several challenges, including the covid pandemic crisis, the near collapse of New Caledonia’s nickel sector and, more recently, the insurrection riots that erupted on 13 May 2024, and its social and economic consequences.
There has been an estimated 2.2 billion euros (NZ$4 billion) in damage, as well as hundreds of businesses destroyed and/or looted, and the subsequent loss of thousands of jobs.
Speaking to local media just after his election, Ponga said one of his priorities was to restore a spirit of cooperation between New Caledonia’s Congress and his government.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz
