21 Nov 2017

New Caledonia Labour Party threatens referendum boycott

6:42 am on 21 November 2017

New Caledonia's Labour Party has threatened to boycott next year's independence referendum because of alleged irregularities with the electoral roll.

At its Congress, the party challenged the agreement reached in Paris two weeks ago when leading politicians from rival sides agreed to add another 11,000 voters to the restricted roll to be used for the plebiscite.

Before the Paris meeting, the demand was to automatically enrol 23,000.

The party now questions what will happen to the remaining 12,000 indigenous Kanaks for whom the French state has no address.

Citing privacy reasons, the authorities refuse to release their names.

The pro-independence Labour Party, which was formed ten years ago, also decided to re-elect Louis Kotra Uregei as its leader.

An independence referendum in 1987 was boycotted by the entire pro-independence side and as a result, the loyalists won with more than 98 percent favouring the status quo with France.

Online test for eligibility in New Caledonia independence referendum

Online test for eligibility in New Caledonia independence referendum Photo: French government