Fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: gray, red.
Title | "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers) |
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Lyric/music | Chorale Melodia (a local choir) |
Date of Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France); note - in three independence referenda, on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place |
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National holiday | Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853) |
Legal system | civil law system based on French civil law |
International law organization participation | |
Constitution | |
History | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) |
Amendments | French constitution amendment procedures apply |
Citizenship | |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Louise LEFRANC (since 6 February 2023) |
Head of government | President of the Government Louis MAPOU (since 22 July 2021) |
Cabinet | Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress |
Elections/appointments | French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 8 July 2021 (next to be held in 2026) |
Election results | 2021: Louis MAPOU (PALIKA) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes 2019: Thierry SANTA (The Republicans) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term |
Elections | Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held by 15 December 2024) French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held on 30 September 2026) French National Assembly - election last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027) |
Election results | Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26) French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2 |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA); note - final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris) |
Judge selection and term of office | Judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system |
Subordinate courts | Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Embassy | None (overseas territory of France) |
National heritage | |
Total World Heritage Sites | 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the France entry |
Selected World Heritage Site locales | Lagoons of New Caledonia |
Want to know more about New Caledonia? Check all different factbooks for New Caledonia below.