An accord between France and New Caledonia, creating a state within a state and hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as “historic”, hit immediate fierce criticism in the Pacific territory on Sunday.

Following deadly protests that rocked New Caledonia last year, Macron called for talks to break a deadlock between forces loyal to France and those seeking independence.

After 10 days of negotiations near Paris, French officials and a delegation of 18 New Caledonian pro-independence and anti-independence representatives reached agreement on Saturday to create a “State of New Caledonia” within the French Republic.

The text, which still requires French parliamentary approval and to pass a referendum in the territory, provides for the creation of a Caledonian nationality and the sharing of powers.

But it won few supporters in the archipelago.

The signatories of the draft agreement admitted during a meeting with Macron on Saturday evening that they were struggling to win over opponents of the deal that will be submitted to a referendum in February 2026.

New Caledonia’s political leaders sign historic agreement to shape territory’s future

Joel Kasarerhou, president of civil society group Construire Autrement (Build Differently), called the agreement “stillborn”, describing it as a “poor” replica of previous agreements and “lacking ambition and vision”.

Kasarerhou said the youth at the heart of the May 2024 uprising had been “forgotten or barely mentioned”. He feared another “May 13” — the date the 2024 riots began.

Crossing a ‘red line’

Home to around 270,000 people and located nearly 17,000 kilometres (10,500 miles) from Paris, New Caledonia is one of several overseas territories that remain an integral part of France.

It has been ruled from Paris since the 1800s but many indigenous Kanaks resent France’s power over the islands and want more autonomy or independence.

Could nickel reserves be the key to independence for New Caledonia?

Unrest broke out in May 2024 after Paris planned to give voting rights to thousands of non-indigenous long-term residents. Kanaks feared this would watere down their influence, crushing any chance of securing independence.

Philippe Blaise, the pro-France first vice-president of Southern Province government, distanced himself from the accord, saying on social media he had discovered the contents of the agreement “like all Caledonians” after it was signed.

Manuel Valls shakes hands with Alcide Ponga at a military honours ceremony in Noumea, New Caledonia, on 22 February. AFP – DELPHINE MAYEUR

Blaise said the text “crossed a red line” with the recognition of a “Caledonian state” and a “distinct nationality” — incompatible, in his view, with French unity.

‘Betrayal’

Several pro-independence figures said the accord was signed without a clear mandate from their base.

Several social media posts by pro-independence activists condemned their representatives’ signing of the deal.

Brenda Wanabo-Ipeze, a leader of the pro-independence group CCAT, currently incarcerated in France, said: “This text was signed without us. It does not bind us.”

Melanie Atapo, president of the pro-independence USTKE union, which represents Kanak people, told AFP she was “surprised” by the agreement and that the signatories should “come back to share with the bases before signing”.

Another pro-independence leader with links to the pro-independence FLNKS party, speaking on condition of anonymity, called it a “betrayal”, saying pro-independence negotiators have “given in on essential points” without militant approval.

(With newswires)

France has announced an agreement aimed at granting more autonomy to New Caledonia in the South Pacific, but stopped short of the independence sought by many Indigenous Kanaks.

The agreement — hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as ″historic” — still needed final approval in New Caledonia, a nickel-rich archipelago east of Australia.

The accord may face a vote in February by New Caledonians who are divided on their views on independence.

Why is one of Australia’s closest neighbours still part of France? Photo shows A woman surrounded by other pro-independence demonstrators holds up a Kanak flag behind her back. The European power spends billions of euros on New Caledonia and faces a large damage bill from this year’s violent unrest. Why is it hanging on?

It proposed the creation of a ″state of Caledonia″ within the French Republic and inscribed in the French constitution, and the creation of a ”Caledonian nationality″ alongside French nationality, according to excerpts viewed by The Associated Press.

It was reached after 10 days of negotiations — including a final overnight marathon — with representatives of the central government and those on both sides of the independence question.

The talks stemmed from months of unrest that broke out in May 2024 after Paris planned to give voting rights to thousands of non-Indigenous long-term residents.

Kanaks feared this would leave them in a permanent minority, crushing their chances of winning independence.

As part of the agreement, New Caledonia residents will in the future only be allowed to vote after having lived 10 years on the archipelago.

The accord will help “us get out of the spiral of violence,” said Emmanuel Tjibaou, a Kanak politician who participated in the talks on Saturday evening in the Elysee presidential palace in Paris.

He described a ”difficult path” ahead, but one that would allow Kanaks and other Caledonians to move forward together as ”us” instead of divided.

Those seeking to keep New Caledonia firmly in the French fold hailed the accord.

Politician Nicolas Metzdorf called it a compromise born of ”demanding dialogue,” and described the Caledonian nationality as a ″real concession”.

The French president met with New Caledonia’s elected officials and state representatives in Paris to discuss an agreement aimed at granting the island more autonomy. (AP: Pool Reuters)

A special congress will be held to finalise next steps, which could include more sovereignty for New Caledonia over issues of international affairs, security and justice, according to excerpts published by New Caledonia’s public broadcaster.

The accord could also eventually allow New Caledonians to change the territory’s name, flag and hymn.

Cammi Webb-Gannon researched decolonisation in the Pacific at the University of Wollongong and said the agreement might not be what Indigenous groups wanted, especially young activists who called for their elders and leaders to push for more independence and justice.

She also said the agreement still gave voting rights to long-term residents, a trigger for the protests, so more work needed to be done to improve political representation for the country’s Indigenous population.

But Dr Webb-Gannon said the accord is a “step in the right direction” and showed that France was listening to the sentiment coming from New Caledonia.

Previous referendums have failed

Participants stressed the importance of rehabilitating and diversifying New Caledonia’s indebted economy, which depends heavily on nickel mining, and making it less reliant on the French mainland.

Last year’s violence, which claimed the lives of 14 people, is estimated to have cost the territory two billion euros ($3.6 billion), shaving 10 per cent off its gross domestic product, he said.

Both chambers of France’s parliament are to meet in the fourth quarter this year to vote on approving the deal, which is then to be submitted to New Caledonians in a referendum in 2026.

There have been three previous referendums since 2018, which all rejected New Caledonian independence.

But the last referendum held in 2021 was boycotted by pro-independence groups who were mourning COVID-19 deaths, which disproportionately affected the Kanak population.

Emmanuel Tjibaou says the agreement will help the country out of violence. (Supplied)

She said the violence last May was the “result of a sense of overall despair” from previous referendums that were seen not to take the Indigenous vote into account.

Dr Webb-Gannon said it was still “unclear” what impact this accord will have in practice to quell pro-independence tensions, but Kanak politician Emmanuel Tjibaou, at the centre of negotiations, was well supported by locals.

He was also the son of assassinated leader Jean-Marie Tjibaou, who sought interdependence with France, which means an independent state without animosity towards it or any of the other nations whose people settled in New Caledonia.

“His really was a vision for peace with justice.

“The legacy that [Emmanuel] is continuing to work towards his father’s vision is promising.”

France colonised the Pacific archipelago in the 1850s, and it became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

ABC/AP/AFP

France and New Caledonia announced an agreement on Saturday that would give the semiautonomous Pacific territory more freedoms but stops short of granting it independence, more than a year after violent and deadly protests there against French rule.

The agreement would create the “State of New Caledonia” within the French Republic, according to the 13-page document. The state would be enshrined in France’s Constitution, and other nations would be allowed to recognize it.

“A State of New Caledonia within the Republic: It’s a bet on trust,” President Emmanuel Macron of France said on social media.

The agreement must be approved by both the French Parliament and the people of New Caledonia, a collection of Pacific islands with a population of about 270,000. It concludes a tense negotiation involving the French government and the territory’s pro- and anti-independence groups.

France announced a deal with New Caledonia on Saturday, which grants the overseas South Pacific territory more autonomy. The agreement, however, stops short of full independence sought by indigenous inhabitants of the archipelago.

The 13-page deal, which French President Emmanuel Macron hailed as “historic”, calls for the creation of a “state of Caledonia”, which would remain French and inscribed in the French constitution. It will also allow for the creation of a Caledonian nationality alongside French nationality.

The accord still needs final approval in New Caledonia, and may face a vote by New Caledonians in February.

For decades, the Pacific archipelago east of Australia faced political tensions between those seeking independence and those loyal to France.

And in May 2024, mass riots broke out over proposed electoral reforms. The French government debated to give thousands of non-indigenous long term-residents voting rights. Many Kanaks protested against the proposal, claiming changes to the electoral rules would further marginalise Indigenous voters.

A difficult path lays ahead for Kanaks and other Caledonians, but the new agreement will get the island “out of the spiral of violence,” according to Kanak lawmaker Emmanuel Tjibaou who took part in the 10 days of negotiations.

“This text does not mention the word independence. But it opens up a structured, progressive, legally regulated and politically legitimate path,” Tjibaou said.

President Emmanuel Macron attends a meeting with New Caledonia’s elected officials and state representatives for the accord, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12.07.2025. (President Emmanuel Macron attends a meeting with New Caledonia’s elected officials and state representatives for the accord, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, 12.07.2025.)

Those who were in favour of keeping New Caledonia within the French fold also hailed the accord. Lawmaker Nicolas Metzdorf called it a compromise born of “demanding dialogue,” and described the Caledonian nationality as a ″real concession.”

A special congress will be held to finalise next steps, which could include more sovereignty for New Caledonia regarding issues of international affairs, security and justice, according to excerpts published by New Caledonia’s public broadcaster.

The accord could also eventually allow New Caledonians to change the territory’s name, flag and hymn.

Participants stressed the importance of rehabilitating and diversifying New Caledonia’s indebted economy, which depends heavily on nickel mining, and making it less reliant on the French mainland.

France colonised New Caledonia in the 1850s, and it became an overseas territory after World War II. French citizenship was granted to all Kanaks in 1957, but many continue to demand full independence.