Following the government's decision to shelve a bill for an early consultation, President Emmanuel Macron has specified a January 16 meeting with New Caledonian elected officials in Paris to advance dialogue on the territory's future and clarify the fragile Bougival agreement.
In a letter to local elected officials, reviewed by AFP, President Macron confirmed a January 16 gathering to "continue the dialogue" on New Caledonia's institutional future and "provide clarifications" on the Bougival agreement, signed July 12 after the Élysée summit.
The agreement, aiming to create a State of New Caledonia within the French Constitution and backed by most political forces, was rejected by the main independentist FLNKS coalition. Signatories demand amendments for consensus amid timeline fragility: the draft law for a March 2026 consultation was not presented to the Council of Ministers as planned, after an expert mission failed.
The Caledonian Congress deadlocked on December 8 (19 for, 14 against, 19 abstentions), and even supporters like UNI condition backing on changes. This follows spring 2024 violence (14 deaths) and economic damage.
The meeting represents a key step to explore paths forward in the divided archipelago.
