New Caledonia
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.
The body of a 55-year-old windsurfer, victim of a shark attack, was discovered on Sunday, February 22, in a bay in Nouméa, New Caledonia. Anse-Vata beach was evacuated to allow rescue operations, with authorities calling for caution. The incident follows heavy rains, which increase the risk of sharks near the coasts.
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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.
New Caledonia's Congress voted on December 8 without a clear majority on the proposed anticipated consultation regarding the July-signed Bougival agreement. The session highlighted the ongoing deadlock in the Caledonian issue, four years after the Nouméa Agreement referendums concluded. Kanak independentists protested against the French government's initiative.
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Three months after his judicial control was lifted in Paris, Christian Tein, FLNKS president, arrived in New Caledonia on December 4. This Kanak figure deeply divides the archipelago, still scarred by the 2024 riots. His return raises security concerns and hostile reactions.
The French Parliament has approved the postponement of provincial elections in New Caledonia, originally set for November, to June 28, 2026 at the latest. This decision, passed by the National Assembly on October 28 and the Senate on October 29, represents a first step toward resuming debates on a sensitive institutional reform. It comes amid the May 2024 violence and the fragile Bougival agreement, rejected by independentists.
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Respected dialogue figures in New Caledonia express concern over the potential postponement of provincial elections, fearing a repeat of violent tensions from decisions imposed from Paris. Gérald Cortot, Patrice Godin, and Jean-Pierre Aïfa, close to the independentist movement, warn of risks as Parliament reviews the bill. The measure aims to extend discussions until June 2026 for a consensual agreement on the territory's institutional future.
Socialists refuse to vote on constitutional bill for New Caledonia
19 января 2026, 10:37Emmanuel Macron announces politico-economic agreement for New Caledonia
16 января 2026, 09:02Macron opens New Caledonia talks without independentists
09 января 2026, 07:30Metzdorf rallies Renaissance lawmakers amid Bougival agreement delays
18 декабря 2025, 10:04False controversy accuses Macron of ceding overseas territories
03 декабря 2025, 06:25Socialists reject anticipated consultation on Bougival agreement
28 ноября 2025, 13:04French government plans risky consultation in New Caledonia
06 ноября 2025, 18:55Former Kanak independence prisoners speak out in Paris
03 ноября 2025, 19:21New Caledonian officials disappointed with state aid
31 октября 2025, 08:42In New Caledonia, FLNKS still contests Bougival agreement