Video “France is more beautiful because New Caledonia has decided to stay there”, believes Emmanuel Macron after the victory of “no” at independence

A love declaration. Emmanuel Macron was delighted, Sunday, December 12, of the victory of the “no” to independence in New Caledonia. The President of the Republic considered that “France is more beautiful because New Caledonia has decided to stay there”, while recognizing “the magnitude of the task” for the transition period which begins.

“We cannot ignore that the electorate has remained deeply divided despite the passage of the years”, he admitted in a televised address, after the announcement of the overwhelming victory of opponents of independence, his supporters having called for a boycott of the ballot. In this regard, the Head of State contented himself with taking note of the “context of strong abstention”. The turnout was indeed only 43.9%, half less than in the two previous referendums.

Emmanuel Macron especially insisted on the need to prepare “a period of transition which frees from the binary alternative between yes and no and should lead us to build a common project”. Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of Overseas, who is on site “my request”, he said, “is listening to you now to prepare for this new stage”.

The president cited not only institutional and legal issues to build a “new political organization” but also unrolled the list of problems to be solved in New Caledonia: “The economic situation, the health situation, the recovery, the balance of public accounts”, “the reduction of inequalities which weakens the unity of the archipelago, the nickel strategy, food and energy autonomy, land, taxation, fairer growth and more respectful of nature”, Without forgetting “the situation of New Caledonian women”.

“We will have to build a place for New Caledonia in this Indo-Pacific region in full reorganization.”

Emmanuel Macron

during a speech

Prime Minister Jean Castex stressed for his part that “This December 12 is therefore in no way an end, but an essential stage for New Caledonia”. “In the continuity of the spirit which presided over the Matignon and Nouméa agreements, a new dialogue will be set up”, he recalled.