Visiting New Caledonia, Emmanuel Macron promises not to force through the reform of the electoral body

After a visit of a few hours, the Head of State set out a road map to emerge from the crisis. During a press point organized on Thursday May 23, Emmanuel Macron pledged not to pass “in strength” the reform of the unfreezing of the electoral body at the origin of the riots in New Caledonia. He gave to the parties a deadline for “negotiate” a global political agreement which must then be submitted to the vote of Caledonians.

It is necessary that “we gave ourselves a few weeks to allow for calm and the resumption of dialogue with a view to a global agreement” on the institutional future of the archipelago, which is broader than the question of the electorate, he added. The President of the Republic is committed to providing a progress update “in a month”. Emmanuel Macron seems to soften his position somewhat. He had initially warned that Congress would be convened “by the end of June” to definitively adopt the text on the electorate if a global agreement on the institutional status of the archipelago is not found. “My wish is that this agreement can be submitted to the vote of Caledonians” by referendum, he added.

The head of state once again showed himself to be uncompromising on the return to order in the archipelago, demanding a lifting of the blockades “in the coming hours” to end the state of emergency. This “insurrection movement is absolutely unprecedented”, “no one saw it coming with this level of organization and violence”, judged the President of the Republic during a visit to a police station in the center of Nouméa. A “emergency aid” to repair the damage “colossal” provoked by the rioters was announced by Emmanuel Macron.