4 Feb 2006

French senator asks for clarification on New Caledonia vote policy

8:22 am on 4 February 2006

The New Caledonian member of the French Senate, Simon Loueckhote, says he wants to know the official position of the French ruling party on the question of who is eligible to vote in New Caledonia.

Mr Loueckhote says he's going to write to the UMP leader Nicolas Sarkozy to ask for an explanation.

France has ordered both houses of parliament to examine whether French settlers in New Caledonia have the right to vote in elections there.

Mr Loueckhote says it's logical that the New Caledonian territorial government would wish to be consulted too.