🇫🇷🔥🇳🇨 Chaos in New Caledonia: 6 dead, 300 injured, 150 buildings damaged

👉🏻 Since May 13th, major riots and looting have broke out across New Caledonia, a French oversea territory, following a voting reform aiming to ease existing restrictions in provincial elections.

🔎 Local elections had so far been restricted to pre-1998 residents of the islands and their descendants. The reform will allow any 10-year-long resident to vote, and thus lower the voting power of the Kanak people.

🔥 Violent clashes have happened in the past: we've reported similar events in late 2020, following the sell of a nickel factory.

🗳 3 independence referendum have previously failed in 2018, 2020 and 2021. The last one was fully boycotted by the opposition.

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🇫🇷🔥🇳🇨 Chaos in New Caledonia: latest official developments

▪️ Emmanuel Macron noted «significant progress» in restoring order in New Caledonia and decided to deploy military personnel to protect public buildings.

▪️ Measures are being taken to ensure that tourists still on the archipelago can return home.

▪️Prime Minister Gabriel Attal emphasized the determination to restore order as a prerequisite for dialogue, acknowledging there is still work to be done.

▪️The bodies of two killed gendarmes arrived in Istres, with a tribute attended by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and others.

▪️29 arrests were made by gendarmerie and police, and 76 roadblocks were cleared between Nouméa and the airport.

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