The non-independence bloc has won control of New Caledonia's deliberative assembly, after securing the backing of a small party, despite the two sides holding sharply different views on the future of the French Pacific territory.
Issued on: 10/07/2026 - 13:52
2 min Reading time
The victory came less than two weeks after pro-France parties won the wealthy and most populous Southern Province in provincial elections held on 28 June. In a vote on Friday, Virginie Ruffenach, of the Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement party, one of the hardline branches of the non-independence movement, was elected president of the Congress – the territory's elected assembly – securing 28 of the 54 votes. Her opponent, Dominique Fochi, backed by the pro-independence bloc "Kanaky for All", got 26 votes. The pro-France bloc initially held 24 seats in the assembly but a deal with the four lawmakers of the Eveil Océanien (Oceanian Awakening) party enabled it to form a majority. Ruffenach said the "governance" coalition had been formed to help rebuild New Caledonia after a difficult period. Deadly unrest in May 2024, sparked by planned changes to voting rights, left 14 people dead and caused more than €2 billion in damage.
