Island votes to remain with France

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December 13, 2021

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Island votes to remain with France

Source: AFP | 00:00 UTC+8 December 13, 2021 |

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Residents of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly yesterday to remain part of France in a third referendum that was boycotted by pro-independence groups, reports say.

Local television channel NC la 1ere reported that, with 90.23 percent of ballots counted, 96.32 percent of voters had voted “No” to independence in a result that will raise fears of unrest and questions about the legitimacy of the process.

The archipelago of about 185,000 voters, 2,000 kilometers east of Australia, was granted three independence referendums under a 1988 deal aimed at easing tensions on the islands. The turnout yesterday was only 41.60 percent.

Having rejected a breakaway from France in 2018 and then again last year, the inhabitants were asked one last time: “Do you want New Caledonia to accede to full sovereignty and become independent?”

Pro-independence campaigners boycotted the vote, saying they wanted it postponed to September because “a fair campaign” was impossible with high coronavirus infection numbers.

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Island votes to remain with France

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