Pro-independence MP Emmanuel Tjibaou stated on Wednesday that the constitutional reform for New Caledonia, championed by the government, was at a "deadlock." During a press conference, he asserted that no majority was emerging to allow the text to be adopted by the Congress of Versailles, a necessary condition for revising the Constitution.
According to him, the executive branch is trying to shift the blame for any potential failure onto Parliament. He calls for provincial elections to be held "at the end of May or beginning of June" in order to revive the political process before the start of a new phase of discussions.
An uncertain vote in Congress
The Senate's Law Committee nevertheless gave a favorable opinion on the draft constitutional law, subject to amendments intended to incorporate the provisions of the Élysée-Oudinot agreement signed in January. The text could be adopted in a plenary session, but the anticipated lack of Socialist support makes obtaining the required three-fifths majority in Congress uncertain.
The project is a continuation of the Bougival Agreement concluded in July 2025. It envisions the creation of a New Caledonian state within the French Constitution, possessing its own nationality and eligible for international recognition. Supported by some local stakeholders and non-separatist groups, it remains contested by the FLNKS.
