2020 New Caledonian independence referendum

Background

In accordance with the Nouméa Accord of 1998, New Caledonians were allowed up to three referendums on independence; the first came in 2018, then two more in 2020 and 2022 if the previous ones had not resulted in independence, but one-third of members of the Congress of New Caledonia voted for another one.[2] The first was held in November 2018, with voters rejecting independence by 56–44%.

In 2019, members of the Caledonian Union, Future with Confidence, the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) and the National Union for Independence requested another referendum be held.[3]

Franchise

The referendum will be held using a special electoral roll. Potential voters must be registered on the general electoral roll, and also meet one of the secondary criteria:[4]

  1. Was on the electoral roll for the 1998 referendum on the Nouméa Accord;
  2. Qualified to be on the electoral roll for the 1998 referendum, but were not enrolled;
  3. Failed to meet the requirements to be on the 1998 electoral roll solely due to absence related to family, medical or professional reasons;
  4. Having civil status, or born in New Caledonia and have their material interests in the territory;
  5. At least one parent born in New Caledonia and have their material interests in the territory;
  6. At least 20 years of continuous residence in New Caledonia by 31 December 2014;
  7. Born after 31 December 1988 and reached voting age before the referendum, with at least one parent who was on the electoral roll (or qualified to do so) for the 1998 referendum.

As a consequence of these restrictions, in the 2018 referendum a total of 35,948 registered voters on the general list were thus excluded from the vote, equating to 17.11% out of a total of 210,105 registered voters on the general electoral roll.[5][6][7] Vote restriction restricts the voting power of recent inhabitants—derogatively known as Zoreilles—and enlarges the voting power of native Kanaks, and was long sought after by FLNKS.[5]

Campaign

After abstaining from participating in the 2018 referendum, in July 2020 the anti-globalisation Labour Party announced it would call for its supporters to vote for independence in the upcoming referendum.[8]

See also

References
  1. Nouvelle-Calédonie. Le référendum sur l’indépendance se déroulera le 4 octobre (in French) Ouest France, 24 June 2020
  2. New Caledonia referendum: call to reject 'colonising power' France The Guardian, 17 July 2018
  3. Le Deuxième référendum Élections NC
  4. La liste électorale spéciale consultation Élections NC
  5. "Référendum en Nouvelle-Calédonie: pourquoi les "Zoreille" n'ont pas le droit de voter" (in French). Slate. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  6. "Le corps électoral : la liste spéciale pour le référendum (LESC)" (in French). Government of New Caledonia. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  7. Scott Robertson. "The New Caledonian Referendum on Independence (Part 2): The Vote" (PDF). bellschool.anu.edu.au.
  8. "New Caledonia Labour Party wants independence". RNZ. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
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