Voters in New Caledonia headed to the polls Sunday for long-overdue provincial elections, with tight security measures in place across the French-ruled Pacific island territory, according to New Zealand public broadcaster RNZ.
Approximately 2,500 police officers were stationed at polling locations to provide security and oversight as voting began at 8 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Saturday).
The elections had been postponed since 2024, following a period of serious violence between indigenous Kanak people and those loyal to France. The results are considered crucial to setting the stage for future negotiations between New Caledonia and France regarding the territory’s political status.
The question of independence has been put to voters three times, with the most recent referendum in 2021. All three votes produced majorities in favor of staying under French rule.
Before polling stations even opened in the capital city of Noumea, residents were already forming long lines outside a voting location at Hotel de Ville, RNZ reported.
Located in the southwest Pacific roughly 1,500 kilometers — about 930 miles — east of Australia, New Caledonia is home to approximately 270,000 residents. Around 41% of the population is Melanesian Kanak, while about 24% is of European descent, predominantly French.
British explorer Captain James Cook first named the islands in 1774. France took control in 1853 and officially designated the territory an overseas territory in 1946. For decades, the islands have been at the center of an ongoing dispute over France’s influence in local affairs.
