Independence
Defamation trial pits Tein against Backès in Paris
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Paris judicial court examined on Thursday, January 15, a defamation complaint filed by Christian Tein, Kanak independentist leader, against Sonia Backès, a loyalist figure, who accused him of being 'the leader of the terrorists' after the 2024 riots. Tein appeared via videoconference from Nouméa, while Backès did not attend the hearing. This case comes ahead of an Élysée meeting on New Caledonia's future.
In New Caledonia, the March municipal elections act as a rehearsal for the provincial polls due by year's end. These elections, postponed multiple times, hinge on a constitutional reform's adoption. Independence supporters urge high turnout to sway decisions in Paris.
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President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday, January 19, 2026, an "Elysée-Oudinot" agreement reached between the state and several Caledonian political groups, without the involvement of the FLNKS. This document complements the Bougival agreement of July 12, 2025, without altering its institutional aspects, but by dedicating state financial support to the territory. The negotiations, launched on January 16, intensified over the weekend to conclude before Macron's departure for Davos.
Understanding the foundations of KANU and KADU is key to grasping how Kenya became a one-party state. These parties represented different communities, with KADU eventually accepting KANU's demands after independence. This strengthened KANU's dominance in Kenyan politics.
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Six former Kanak independence detainees, released under judicial supervision, gathered publicly for the first time on Thursday in Paris for a press conference. They criticized the French government for making decisions in Paris on behalf of the Kanak people, just days before Overseas Minister Naïma Moutchou's visit to New Caledonia. Christian Tein, FLNKS leader, rejected the Bougival agreement and called for a new deal including independence.