Macron suspends electoral reform in New Caledonia after deadly riots

French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would not implement a controversial electoral reform in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia after deadly riots, UNN reports citing the BBC.

Details

Speaking during a visit to the main island, Macron said that local leaders should start a dialogue to find an alternative agreement on the future of the archipelago.

"I have promised that this reform will not pass today in the current conditions," Macron said.

"We will give a few weeks to calm the tensions and resume the dialogue to find a broad agreement" between all parties, he added, saying he would review the situation in a month.

According to him, if the two sides manage to reach a new agreement, the territory will be able to vote on its adoption in a referendum.

According to Macron, the state of emergency will be lifted when all the protesters' barricades are dismantled. He described the violence as an "unprecedented insurgency" that no one had foreseen coming.

The airport in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, is still closed to commercial flights. Military planes have flown about 300 tourists from Australia and 50 from New Zealand out of the territory. They reported witnessing arson and looting, and experiencing food shortages.

Addendum

Six people, including two police officers, were killed and hundreds injured in the riots, looting and arson attacks.

Currently, only indigenous Kanaks and those who arrived from France before 1998 have the right to vote in the territory.

The planned reform would allow more French residents, including those who have lived in New Caledonia for at least 10 years, to vote.

Many Kanaks, who make up about 40 percent of the population, fear that this will weaken their political voice and make any future referendum on independence more difficult.