7 Dec 2017

Formation of New Caledonia govt complete

10:11 am on 7 December 2017

The formation of New Caledonia's new government has been completed with the allocation of portfolios.

New Caledonia government elects Philippe Germain

Photo: @GouvNC

Last Friday, the 11 ministers elected Philippe Germain as the president of the collegial government, ending a three-month impasse during which the old government was in place as a caretaker administration.

Now the new ministers, of whom four are women, agreed on the distribution of portfolios.

Christopher Gyges, who is new and the only one not voting for Mr Germain last week, is social security minister.

Another new minister Nicolas Metzdorf is the government spokesperson.

The ministers had been elected in August but failed to form a properly constituted government until last Friday because there was no majority to elect Mr Germain as president.

The deadlock was broken when the pro-independence ministers agreed to to support Mr Germain who is an anti-independence member of the executive.

The election in August was prompted by the resignation of a minister who decided to take up the seat he had won in the French National Assembly.

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