Constitutional council confirms ineligibility of New Caledonian elected official
France's Constitutional Council upheld on Thursday the ineligibility penalty against Paul Neaoutyine, a prominent New Caledonian independence figure. The ruling confirms the provisional enforcement of a conviction for illegal interest-taking. It comes amid tense local politics.
On October 3, 2025, France's Constitutional Council issued a ruling confirming the ineligibility of Paul Neaoutyine, leader of the Parti de libération kanak (Palika) and former president of New Caledonia's Congress. Convicted in first instance in 2023 for illegal interest-taking in a public contracts case, he received a two-year suspended prison sentence and five years of ineligibility.
Nouméa's appeal court upheld the penalty in 2024, ordering its provisional enforcement despite a cassation appeal. The Constitutional Council, asked to review the measure's constitutionality, found that provisional execution complied with constitutional principles. "The provisional enforcement of the ineligibility penalty is not contrary to the Constitution," states the published decision.
Paul Neaoutyine, 72, responded by saying: "This decision is an injustice aimed at sidelining me from Caledonian political life." His lawyers had argued that immediate ineligibility barred him from the 2024 provincial elections, where he was a candidate. Nouméa's attorney general defended the measure as essential to safeguard elected officials' integrity.
The case unfolds against New Caledonia's volatile political climate, marked by independence tensions and electoral reforms. Elected since 1989, Neaoutyine represents the Kanak voice in talks with Paris. The ruling may shape local dynamics ahead of future consultations.
The Council's decision provides no further details on potential appeals.