The President of the Republic begins a five-day trip to Oceania. And in Nouméa, the first stage of his trip, anger is brewing, whether over inflation or pensions.
Emmanuel Macron on the move in France… but on the other side of the world! It is from New Caledonia that the Head of State will speak in the 1 p.m. news on France 2 and TF1 on Monday July 24, a few days after a larger than expected reshuffle and after the end of what the president himself presented as “100 days of appeasement”.
>> Global warming, influence of China, status of New Caledonia… The challenges of Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Oceania
New Caledonia is in fact only the first stage of a five-day presidential trip to Oceania, which will continue in Vanuatu and then in Papua New Guinea. A travel “historical”, assures the Elysée, but which does not necessarily look quiet either. Because if 16,000 km and nine hours of time difference separate Paris and Nouméa, the anger of the French there is the same as in France.
“It’s starting to get too expensivelaunches a man. It’s going up, it’s going up, it’s going up, but it’s not going down anymore.” Purchasing power and inflation are on everyone’s mind, and that’s not the only concern. Climate change also invites itself into the discussions.
“We are afraid that our island will end up soaking in water.”
A resident of Noumeaat franceinfo
And then, between the stalls of this Nouméa market, another file is still invited into the discussions: “64 years is too long!loose a lady, who opposes the pension reform. With illnesses and all that, I don’t know if young people will make it to 50.”
A “compromise to be found”
Behind its dream setting, New Caledonia also hides very raw wounds, issues specific to this territory and on which the Head of State will also be expected. First, there is this deep feeling of being downgraded and forgotten. “Me personally, I don’t expect anything from it, but everyone is happy to see the highest head of state, it’s so rare”, loose Eddy. And there is also the status of the island. Because if the Caledoniers rejected independence three times, the referendums divided the population, he says.
“Even though Caledonia has come out with a majority for France, there are separatists, so a compromise has to be found. The role of the President is to be a unifier. He is the president of all French people.”
Eddy, a resident of Noumeaat franceinfo
The main issue for Emmanuel Macron is perhaps ultimately this obligation: to re-establish a lasting link with these French people who live on the other side of the world.