Referendum in New Caledonia: record abstention following the boycott of the separatists

The participation rate in this third referendum on the independence of New Caledonia is significantly lower than that of the two previous ones.

AP - Clotilde Richalet

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The third and last referendum in New Caledonia provided for by the Noumea agreement on the independence of the archipelago was held this Sunday without the separatists, who refuse to participate, their request for postponement of the ballot having gone unheeded.

But with an abstention much higher than the two previous polls, it seems that they have won their bet.

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With our correspondent in Nouméa,

At 5 p.m., the turnout was almost halved compared to the last ballot.

It stands at 41.6% against nearly 80% at the same time in 2020

The separatists therefore stayed at home in accordance with the instructions passed following the State's refusal to postpone the date of the referendum.

They had announced that they would not go to the polls, citing the impossibility of organizing " 

 " while the archipelago has been affected since September by the Covid-19 epidemic and that the Kanak population is plunged into mourning.

No surprise

The count has therefore begun and, unsurprisingly, the “no” should prevail.

A transition period desired by the Minister of Overseas Territories to prepare the future status of the territory must then begin.

in Nouméa on

, but nothing confirms that these discussions can start tomorrow.

If the supporters of the "no" wish for the rapid opening of discussions, this is not the case for the separatists, who have already laid down their conditions.

They agree to discuss with the state, but only with it anyway not before the presidential election next April.

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