2021 New Caledonian independence referendum

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2021 New Caledonian independence referendum

12 December 2021
Do you want New Caledonia to attain full sovereignty and become independent?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 2,747 3.50% No 75,720 96.50% Valid votes 78,467 97.02% Invalid or blank votes 2,418 2.99% Total votes 80,881 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 184,364 43.87%

Politics of New Caledonia
High Commissioner Patrice Faure President of the Government Louis Mapou Vice President of the Government Isabelle Champmoreau Congress President Veylma Falaeo Political parties Recent elections Legislative: 2004 2009 2014 2019 Referendums: 1987 2018 2020 2021 Matignon Agreements Nouméa Accord
Other countries
v t e

An independence referendum was held in New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific, on 12 December 2021. The vote was the third and final one to be held under the terms of the Nouméa Accord, following votes in 2018 and 2020.

As a result of the referendum taking place amid a boycott from the independence parties, the results were extremely lopsided in favor of status quo: voters overwhelmingly rejected independence, with 96% voting against independence and 4% in favour (compared to a 57% and 53% against independence in 2018 and 2020).^[1] The referendum took place amid a boycott from the indigenous Kanak population, whose leaders had called for the vote to be postponed following a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak beginning in September 2021 which caused a total of 280 deaths, and highlighted that Kanak mourning rituals lasted up to a year.^[2][3]

Pro-independence campaigners argued that the boycott was caused by the French authorities denying a request by indigenous leaders to postpone the referendum, as Kanak communities were disproportionately affected by the 280 deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many still observing mourning rituals, and accused the authorities of rushing through the referendum at a time in which pro-independence campaigners and voters were hindered.^[4]

Emphasizing that the outbreak had declined significantly by mid-November, anti-independence campaigners accused independence supporters of using the pandemic to justify postponing a referendum they were fearful of losing, as it had cast the role of France in a good light following its dispatching of doctors and vaccine doses as well as injecting ten billion CFP francs into the local economy.

Turnout was estimated at only 44% of the electorate, compared to 86% in the 2020 referendum.^[1] Fearing unrest, the French government deployed 2,000 military personnel to New Caledonia for the vote, which ended up being carried out peacefully.

French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated the results of the referendum, adding that France "is more beautiful because New Caledonia has decided to stay part of it."^[1] Talking about the transition period now beginning, he described New Caledonia as now being "free from the binary choice of 'Yes' or 'No'", and urged for its politicians to begin "building a common project, while recognising and respecting the dignity of everyone".^[1]

Independence supporters called for participation in post-referendum discussion on the future status of New Caledonia. However, they refused to do so before the end of the French presidential election of April 2022. A transition period ensued, at the end of which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France is expected.