French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the cessation of the state of emergency in New Caledonia, aiming to facilitate political dialogue in the aftermath of recent turmoil that claimed seven lives and inflicted widespread destruction, according to the president’s office.
The state of emergency, set to conclude on Monday at 8 pm Paris time or 5 pm local time in New Caledonia, will not be extended "for the moment," allowing for engagements between various stakeholders, including the pro-independence movement Kanak and the Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS).
This decision is intended to enable elected officials and community leaders to negotiate the removal of barricades and engage with demonstrators, fostering an environment conducive to productive discussions, the statement highlighted.
Macron's directive follows his visit to New Caledonia last Thursday, during which he advocated for dismantling barricades, emphasizing its necessity for initiating substantive negotiations.
In response to the unrest, the French government is dispatching 480 additional gendarmes to bolster security on the archipelago, supplementing the existing 3,500 security personnel. The fatalities, which include two gendarmes, occurred amid clashes that erupted as Paris deliberated constitutional amendments regarding voter lists in New Caledonia.
The pro-independence faction, led by Christian Tein, has urged continued mobilization against perceived attempts by the Paris government to implement electoral reforms that could further marginalize the Indigenous Kanak community. The Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front has called for the withdrawal of the electoral reform bill to resolve the ongoing crisis.
New Caledonia's history as a French territory since 1853, its evolution into an overseas territory post-World War II, and the granting of French citizenship to all Kanaks in 1957 underscore the complex socio-political dynamics underlying the current unrest.