Macron Commits French Troops To New Caledonia Amid Protests Over Voting Reforms

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that French soldiers will remain in New Caledonia "as long as necessary" due to persistent turmoil over proposed changes to the island's electoral system.

Macron met key New Caledonian officials on Thursday [Ludovic Marin/Pool via AP Photo]

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that French soldiers will remain in New Caledonia “as long as necessary” due to persistent turmoil over proposed changes to the island’s electoral system.

Macron landed in Noumea on Thursday, prompting demonstrations from the Indigenous Kanak people, who claim the measures will diminish their vote and stymie their independence efforts.

The proposed amendments would allow French people who have lived in New Caledonia for ten years or more to vote in provincial elections, causing a considerable outcry.

Since the violence began, 3,000 soldiers have been deployed, and Macron has warned that they may remain until the Paris Olympic Games in late July. The disturbance has resulted in six deaths and around 280 arrests, necessitating a state of emergency.

Macron observed a minute of silence for the victims and expressed his reluctance to extending the state of emergency if obstacles were dismantled. He visited with New Caledonia’s pro-independence officials, including President Louis Mapou and Congress President Roch Wamytan.

A pro-independence leader, Jimmy Naouna, called for the removal of roadblocks, urging Macron to abandon the election reform. The Kanaks, who make up over 40% of New Caledonia’s population, hold a considerable stake in the island’s political future.

“We are expecting if [Macron] travels to Kanaky, he will make some strong announcement that he is withdrawing this electoral bill, but if he is just coming here as a provocation, that might just turn bad,” Naouna said ahead of the French president’s arrival, using the island’s Indigenous name.

The crisis follows the 1998 Noumea Accord, which increased New Caledonia’s political power while restricting long-term residents’ voting rights. However, the recent influx of French citizens has changed the electoral scene.

Pro-independence organisations boycotted the final independence referendum in 2021, which resulted in a vote to stay part of France. The French government has also recommended international intervention in New Caledonia, complicating an already volatile situation.