New Caledonia: will the independence referendum take place on December 12?

Overseas Minister Sébastien Lecornu assured Thursday that the independence referendum in New Caledonia could only be postponed if health reasons required it, as part of this decolonization process framed by the Nations.

GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP

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The separatists demand the postponement of the referendum in New Caledonia, while the French archipelago has been severely affected by the Covid-19.

The anti-independence people want to keep the ballot.

For the Minister of Overseas, it is still " 

too early 

" to choose to postpone the vote.

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Guest on France Info this Thursday morning, Sébastien Lecornu wants to wait to see how the epidemic evolves before making a decision.

"

It is on the only health criteria that we can establish whether or not we can maintain December 12. For the past few days, we have had a plateau on the incidence rate, the incidence rate has really fallen considerably over the past two weeks. But it is clear that it is too early, unfortunately, to have a fine sanitary projection, which allows us to establish whether December 12 can be maintained or not. But as I said before, in a democracy we keep elections on time. The principle is that the referendum takes place on December 12, the exception is to postpone it. And I call on separatist families not to deviate from this single health barometer

”.

►

 To read also: 

New Caledonia: the Covid-19, justice of the peace of the third referendum of independence?

Minister advocates state neutrality

However, the separatists are calling

for a boycott,

an announcement that the minister cannot support.

These same separatists were already against the date of December 12 and already asked before the Covid crisis to postpone the poll.

“

The State is neutral in the organization of this affair,

” declared Sébastien Lecornu.

We cannot, because one of the two camps would ask to change the date, say yes.

This is not how it works

”.

►

 See also: 

New Caledonia: postponement of the vaccination obligation in sensitive sectors

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