Government and Politics of New Caledonia

Government Type

NA

Administrative Divisions

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Legal System

the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

see France

Executive Branch

chief of state: President of France Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by High Commissioner Louis LE FRANC (since 21 July 2021) head of government: President of the Government Louis MAPOU (since 8 July 2021) cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of members chosen from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner; the Government of New Caledonia is a collegial body of 11 members elected by the Congress elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; Louis MAPOU, leader of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), was elected president of the government in July 2021, becoming the first indigenous Kanak to hold the position

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du Territoire (54 seats; members are drawn from the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales, whose members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) Elections: last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024; note that the May 2024 elections were postponed amid civil unrest and are now scheduled for a later date to be determined) Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Calédonie Ensemble 18, UC-FLNKS et Nationalistes 11, Rassemblement-LR 7, L'Avenir en Confiance 6, UNI 4, other and minor parties 8 Note: New Caledonia holds 2 seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 24 September 2023; results - seats by party - UC-FLNKS 1, Calédonie Ensemble 1. New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held in June 2022; results - seats by party - Calédonie Ensemble 1, independent 1.

Judicial Branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political Parties

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

Head of State

President of France Emmanuel MACRON, represented by High Commissioner Louis LE FRANC

Head of Government

President of the Government Louis MAPOU

Cabinet

Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress

Elections

last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024; note that the May 2024 elections were postponed amid civil unrest and are now scheduled for a later date to be determined)

Election Results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Calédonie Ensemble 18, UC-FLNKS et Nationalistes 11, Rassemblement-LR 7, L'Avenir en Confiance 6, UNI 4, other and minor parties 8 Note: New Caledonia holds 2 seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 24 September 2023; results - seats by party - UC-FLNKS 1, Calédonie Ensemble 1. New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held in June 2022; results - seats by party - Calédonie Ensemble 1, independent 1.

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Independence

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

National Holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

International Organization Participation

FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

none (overseas territory of France)

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Capital City

Noumea

Location

22 16 S, 166 27 E

Time Difference

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

History

established in 1854 as Port-de-France, the settlement was renamed Noumea in 1866, in order to avoid any confusion with Fort-de-France in Martinique; the New Caledonian language of Ndrumbea (also spelled Ndumbea, Dubea, and Drubea) spoken in the area gave its name to the capital city, Noumea, as well as to the neighboring town (suburb) of Dumbea

There is no U.S. Embassy or diplomatic post in New Caledonia. The U.S. Embassy in Fiji provides assistance for U.S. citizens in New Caledonia. U.S. Embassy Suva 158 Princes Road, Suva, Fiji (679) 331-4466 Emergency after-hours telephone: (679) 772-8049 Facsimile: (679) 330-2267

Military Branches

no regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie