CoveragePost
August 26, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk French Prime Minister François Bayrou’s surprise announcement yesterday that he will call for a parliamentary confidence vote in his government is set to further complicate protracted talks in New Caledonia on the French territory’s political future. The announcement comes as French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls ... <a title="French PM’s confidence vote hits New Caledonia’s political negotiations" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/26/french-pms-confidence-vote-hits-new-caledonias-political-negotiations/" aria-label="Read more about French PM’s confidence vote hits New Caledonia’s political negotiations">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 29, 2025
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls, who is visiting New Caledonia this week for the third time in two months, has once again called on all parties to live up to their responsibilities in order to make a new political agreement possible. Failing that, he said ... <a title="French Minister Valls warns New Caledonia is ‘on a tightrope’, pleads for ‘innovative’ solutions" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/04/29/french-minister-valls-warns-new-caledonia-is-on-a-tightrope-pleads-for-innovative-solutions/" aria-label="Read more about French Minister Valls warns New Caledonia is ‘on a tightrope’, pleads for ‘innovative’ solutions">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 14, 2024
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews French authorities have imposed a curfew on New Caledonia’s capital Nouméa and banned public gatherings after supporters of the Pacific territory’s independence movement blocked roads, set fire to buildings and clashed with security forces. Tensions in New Caledonia have been inflamed by French government’s plans to give ... <a title="Curfew in New Caledonia after Kanak riots over French voting change plan" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/14/curfew-in-new-caledonia-after-kanak-riots-over-french-voting-change-plan/" aria-label="Read more about Curfew in New Caledonia after Kanak riots over French voting change plan">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 14, 2024
RNZ Pacific New Caledonians lined up in long queues outside shopping centres to buy supplies in the capital Nouméa today amid political unrest in the French territory Demonstrations, marches and clashes with security forces erupted yesterday and French High Commissioner Louis Le Franc told the public broadcaster he had called for reinforcements to maintain law ... <a title="‘A lot of fire, violence’: Nouméa erupts as protests halt New Caledonia" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/14/a-lot-of-fire-violence-noumea-erupts-as-protests-halt-new-caledonia/" aria-label="Read more about ‘A lot of fire, violence’: Nouméa erupts as protests halt New Caledonia">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 14, 2024
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia has gone through yet another day of tense political protests and a failed prison mutiny — a few hours ahead of a vote in Paris’s National Assembly on a government-tabled Constitutional amendment. This amendment would “unfreeze” the list of eligible voters at local elections. ... <a title="Botched prison mutiny, protests ahead of New Caledonia constitution vote" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/05/14/botched-prison-mutiny-protests-ahead-of-new-caledonia-constitution-vote/" aria-label="Read more about Botched prison mutiny, protests ahead of New Caledonia constitution vote">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 15, 2024
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk New Caledonia’s capital was on Saturday flooded by two simultaneous waves of French and Kanaky flags with two rival demonstrations in downtown Nouméa, only two streets away from each other and under heavy security surveillance. The French High Commission in Nouméa provided an official count of ... <a title="New Caledonia: Flags and emotions flying high over proposed changes" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/04/15/new-caledonia-flags-and-emotions-flying-high-over-proposed-changes/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia: Flags and emotions flying high over proposed changes">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
September 27, 2023
By Nic Maclellan In a major electoral upset, Kanak independence politician Robert Xowie has won one of Kanaky New Caledonia’s two seats in the French Senate in Paris. His second-round electoral victory over Loyalist leader Sonia Backès came on September 24, the 170th anniversary of France’s annexation of its Pacific dependency. Xowie is the Mayor ... <a title="FLNKS mayor wins run-off poll to take unprecedented French Senate seat" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/09/27/flnks-mayor-wins-run-off-poll-to-take-unprecedented-french-senate-seat/" aria-label="Read more about FLNKS mayor wins run-off poll to take unprecedented French Senate seat">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 24, 2023
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has invited the United Nations Decolonisation Committee members to visit New Caledonia. Controlled by France since 1853, New Caledonia was returned to the UN decolonisation list as prolonged political violence threatened in 1986 — 39 years after France had withdrawn it and its other ... <a title="France briefs UN on New Caledonia decolonisation impasse" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/24/france-briefs-un-on-new-caledonia-decolonisation-impasse/" aria-label="Read more about France briefs UN on New Caledonia decolonisation impasse">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 11, 2023
RNZ Pacific An Australian-based French law professor says it is up to the French people as a whole, and not the voters in New Caledonia, to decide the territory’s future statute. Professor Eric Descheemaeker of the University of Melbourne’s Law School said New Caledonia’s three votes against full sovereignty mean that legally, the power to ... <a title="Up to French people to decide on New Caledonia’s future, says academic" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/01/11/up-to-french-people-to-decide-on-new-caledonias-future-says-academic/" aria-label="Read more about Up to French people to decide on New Caledonia’s future, says academic">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
December 16, 2021
RNZ Pacific A leftwing candidate in the French presidential race, Jean-Luc Melenchon, says the outcome of New Caledonia’s independence referendum is a catastrophe. He held a news conference after several leading French politicians welcomed Sunday’s overwhelming rejection of independence, with just 3.5 percent voting for it. Melenchon, leader of the France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) ... <a title="France’s New Caledonia policy labelled a ‘catastrophe’ by left leader" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/12/16/frances-new-caledonia-policy-labelled-a-catastrophe-by-left-leader/" aria-label="Read more about France’s New Caledonia policy labelled a ‘catastrophe’ by left leader">Read more</a>
