What's happened
French President Macron delays voting reform in New Caledonia following deadly riots sparked by the controversial measure. France's top court also declines to suspend a temporary TikTok ban in the region. Australia and New Zealand plan to evacuate their nationals from the French territory amid ongoing unrest, with additional security personnel being deployed to restore calm.
What's behind the headline?
What the papers say
According to South China Morning Post, French President Macron has committed to delaying the voting reform in New Caledonia to seek a new political agreement. The Japan Times reports that Australia and New Zealand are sending government planes to evacuate their nationals from the French territory. Al Jazeera highlights the deployment of additional security personnel to New Caledonia to address the worst unrest in the region in over 30 years.
How we got here
The deadly riots in New Caledonia were sparked by a voting reform that would allow more French residents to vote in provincial elections. The indigenous Kanak people fear that this reform would dilute their vote and make it harder to achieve independence. The escalating violence has led to a state of emergency being declared and the deployment of security forces to restore order.
Go deeper
- How are the indigenous Kanak people responding to the delay in the voting reform?
- What steps are being taken to restore calm and order in New Caledonia?
- How are other countries supporting their nationals in the region?
More on these topics
-
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France, currently governed under the Nouméa Accord, located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, to the south of Vanuatu, about 1,210 km east of Australia and 17,000 km from Metropolitan France.
-
France, officially the French Republic, is a country consisting of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.
-
Australia, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.
-
New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It comprises two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and around 600 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres.