President Emmanuel Macron will be traveling to New Caledonia “as soon as tonight” to establish a “mission,” according to Prisca Thevenot, government spokesperson. The announcement was made during a cabinet meeting, with Thevenot stating that the president is going in a spirit of responsibility, although the details of the mission and the duration of the president’s stay on the archipelago were not specified.
Thevenot reiterated that “a return to order was a prerequisite for any dialogue,” as a contested electoral reform must be validated by the Congress, consisting of senators and deputies, “before the end of June” according to Macron. However, she also mentioned that the executive is continuing to work on a political solution for the territory.
The extension of the state of emergency declared on Wednesday was not discussed during the cabinet meeting, Thevenot added. She acknowledged that while calm is returning, the situation is not completely normalized, and much work still needs to be done before a full return to normalcy. The state of emergency can only be extended for up to twelve days without submitting a text to Parliament, with any extension requiring the approval of both the National Assembly and the Senate before May 27.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will also have the opportunity to visit the archipelago in the coming weeks, although not immediately, as Thevenot mentioned. The management of the New Caledonia dossier has not been directly overseen by Matignon since 2020, with three former prime ministers advocating for it to be handled from the Rue de Varenne once again.
Overall, Macron’s upcoming visit to New Caledonia to establish a mission emphasizes the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the territory and finding a political solution. The need for a return to order before dialogue, ongoing efforts to normalize the situation, and the potential extension of the state of emergency highlight the complex nature of the current circumstances in New Caledonia. The involvement of high-ranking officials like Macron and Attal demonstrates the importance placed on resolving issues in the territory and maintaining stability.
