Pro-France loyalists lead in New Caledonia's Southern Province election as turnout falls

Pro-France loyalist parties secured a commanding lead in New Caledonia's Southern Province elections on Sunday, according to preliminary results, in a key vote held more than two years after deadly riots shook the French Pacific archipelago.

The joint list of Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement won around 50% of the vote in the Southern Province, the territory's most populous region, based on initial results covering most municipalities, including the capital, Noumea, TV5 Monde Info reported.

Outgoing Southern Province President Sonia Backes thanked supporters and said the result reflected "a useful vote" in favor of New Caledonia remaining part of France.

"The people of New Caledonia, particularly the inhabitants of the Southern Province, have made the choice of a useful vote," she said, calling it "an unambiguous message" in support of the territory's continued place within the French Republic.

Public broadcaster NC Premiere projected the loyalist alliance would secure 28 of the province's 40 seats, ahead of the pro-independence FLNKS with seven seats and the Oceanian Awakening party with five.

At the territorial Congress, where 54 representatives elected from the three provincial assemblies vote on local laws and appoint the government, the alliance is expected to become the largest bloc with 24 seats but fall short of the 28-seat absolute majority.

Voter turnout stood at 63.7%, down from 66.5% in the 2019 provincial elections, according to the French High Commission.

The election was held under tight security, with around 2,400 police and gendarmes deployed across the archipelago.

The vote was seen as a major political test ahead of renewed institutional negotiations expected to begin in July. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said the talks aim to reach an agreement on New Caledonia's future before the end of the year.

The elections were the first provincial vote since riots erupted in May 2024 over plans to expand the territory's restricted electoral roll. The unrest left 14 people dead and caused more than €2 billion (about $2.3 billion) in damage.

Although the electorate was expanded this year to include more than 10,500 native-born residents previously excluded, voting remains restricted mainly to residents who settled in New Caledonia before 1998 and their descendants.