This is another kind of conclave, the outcome of which turned out to be favorable this time. Gathered on the Parisian outskirts, in the city of Bougival (Yvelines), since July 2 on the initiative of Emmanuel Macron, Caledonian officials have initialed this Saturday July 12 in the early morning a promise to sign a qualified agreement of“historical”with in particular a “New Caledonia State” inscribed in the Constitution.
Which is still a “Project of agreement” must then be ratified in New Caledonia by the agents of the various delegations. He was validated by Manuel Valls, the Minister of Overseas, and the 18 delegates representing the political forces of the Congress of New Caledonia.
The 13 -page document relates above all to institutional issues, but also has an economic component. Liberty takes stock of what this text contains, as well as the reactions it arouses.
The project provides for several stages up to the provincial elections, postponed to May June 2026, including the adoption in the fall of the Constitutional Bill by the Parliament gathered in Congress in Versailles.
As early as February 2026, the project will be subject to the vote of the Caledonians. In March or April, a special organic law must be adopted, and the municipal elections will be held in New Caledonia.
The project provides, via a fundamental law, the birth of New Caledonia as a full-fledged state. This text may modify the identity signs of the country (name, flag, hymn, currency), include a code of citizenship, as well as a charter of Caledonian values mixing “Republican values”, “Kanak values” et “Oceanian values”.
This Caledonian Constitution will be adopted by the Caledonian Congress by the majority of three fifths and will have to be the subject of a wide work of political pedagogy, according to the promise of agreement signed.
This fundamental law de facts a Caledonian nationality, which will be added to French nationality. It may be acquired by French people who meet certain conditions, which must be specified in the Caledonian Constitution.
But there will therefore be a dual nationality, French and Caledonian, dependent on each other: the renunciation of French nationality would lead to the renunciation of Caledonian nationality.
The distribution of skills between the State and the local institutions remains for the moment unchanged, but the text provides for a possibility of transferring them gradually, by resolution of the congress by the majority of three fifths. This may concern areas such as diplomacy, security, justice or money.
New Caledonia will exercise full competence on international relations but not in terms of defense and security. It will also be closely associated with the exercise of sovereign functions, with a training plan to form administrative, judicial and security supervision. The new state will conduct its diplomatic actions “In compliance with its international commitments and the interests of France”, specifies the text.
The Caledonian congress will now have 56 members, with the possibility of modifying the voting system, the number of constituencies, and the distribution between the assemblies of the provinces. A special organic law will guarantee the maintenance of a solidarity mechanism between the institutions of the North, South and Loyalty Islands, the three provinces of the archipelago.
While the archipelago is plagued by a deep economic crisis, objectives will be set both for the sanitation of public finances and for an economic recovery. There is also a plan dedicated to nickel, a particularly strategic resource for New Caledonia. This program plans to facilitate the export of ore as part of a “Renewed doctrine”with the project that Caledonian nickel remains priority locally transformed or in offshore Caledonian factories. The text also mentions technical and financial support from the State.
On the side of non-independentists, the time is for enthusiasm. “This agreement allows hope to be reborn”estimated Philippe Gomes, leader of the Caledonia party together. In a press release, the loyalists and the rally welcomes a text that allows “To establish a new era of stability”.
In the government, Prime Minister François Bayrou expressed his “Pride of an agreement up to history” found by Caledonian political forces. “Honor to the courageous negotiators, thank you to Mr. Valls”, he also wrote on X. which praised “The choice of courage and responsibility” made by the signatories.
The overseas minister praised “A major commitment, the fruit of a long work of negotiations during which the Caledonian partners made the choice of courage and responsibility”.
For his part, the rebellious leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon estimated that he “Will be essential to analyze the consequences on the constitutional status of France and its principles deeply upset by these provisions”.
Update : At 12:35 p.m., with the addition of the content of the project of agreement and the reaction of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.