14 May 2018

Caledonia Together politicians align with En Marche party

12:26 pm on 14 May 2018

Several politicians of the Caledonia Together party have aligned themselves with France's ruling En Marche party following last week's visit by the president Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron takes part in a ceremony on the New Caledonia island of Ouvea. His visit to the island, the scene of a 1988 hostage crisis, was contentious.

French President Emmanuel Macron on the New Caledonia island of Ouvea. Photo: AFP

En Marche has no significant presence in New Caledonia's political landscape and many of the territory's politicians affiliate themselves to parties in France.

The group to profess its support for En Marche includes the minister who is the New Caledonian government spokesperson Nicolas Metzdorf.

At a news conference in Noumea, they said they shared Mr Macron's views and values as he expressed them in his landmark speech concluding his visit, in particular his vision of the future.

The announcement has no bearing on the Caledonia Together politicians in the French National Assembly and the French Senate who will continue to sit with the Union of Democrats and Independents.

New Caledonian politicians supporting En Marche since last year already include the Caledonia Together's mayor of Noumea Sonia Lagarde and Christopher Gyges, who is a minister of the Caledonian Republicans.

In last year's French presidential election, a majority of voters in Noumea chose the National Front candidate Marine Le Pen over Mr Macron.

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