This is the result of growing tension for several months.
In New Caledonia, the collegiate government fell on Tuesday after the resignation of the separatists from the executive.
The latter denounced "
the impasse and the immobility
" in the archipelago.
The announcement was made via a statement posted online by the FLNKS - the socialist Kanak National Liberation Front.
Louis Mapou, head of the UNI-FLNKS (National Union for Independence) group and his counterpart from UC-FLNKS (Caledonian Union), Pierre-Chanel Tutugoro, indicate that they have “
jointly deposited
” a letter to the President of the Government, Thierry Santa (loyalist), in which they “
present their resignation
”.
The separatists having five members of the executive branch out of 11, their resignation leads to the fall of the collegial government, elected by the members of Congress.
The fate of the nickel plant in question
Several reasons are behind this decision.
Among them: the fate of the nickel plant of the Brazilian group Vale, located in the Southern Province.
Since October, the archipelago has been plagued by a great deal of violence surrounding this industry which brings together 3,000 jobs.
Its sale - supposed to end on February 12 - to a Caledonian and international consortium aroused the anger of the separatists.
After several demonstrations as well as intrusion attempts, the gendarmerie was led to put the factory under protection and to evacuate its employees.
Read also: Attempt to end the crisis in New Caledonia
Are also questioned by the separatists "
the delay in the vote of the primitive budget
" of the island, postponed to March, as well as "
the institutional dynamic broken down and the consensus which is less and less the rule.
"
In another press release, l'Avenir en Confiance (AEC), a coalition of the main non-independence parties from which the president of the government came, denounced "
an incoherent, irresponsible and dangerous decision (which) is part of the policy of the scorched earth led by the separatists for several months whose sole objective is to destroy.
"And to add:"
By causing an institutional crisis in full period of the health crisis (...), the separatists pose an immense risk on the whole of New Caledonia.
"
To read also: Sébastien Lecornu: "The Republic is not weak in New Caledonia"
For now, a new government will have to be elected within 15 days, according to the status of the Nouméa Accord (1998).
The fall of the government comes four months after the independence referendum of October 4.
Marked by an increase in participation, this election had signed the victory of the "yes" at a lower proportion than the first referendum held in 2018.