France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen is in New Caledonia, offering a 'new method' for resolving long-standing tensions with the French mainland, as President Emmanuel Macron is preparing a broader push to revive dialogue between loyalists and separatists in the Pacific overseas territory.
During her visit to the French overseas territory, Marine Le Pen – who leads the National Rally’s parliamentary group in the National Assembly – is seeking to reshape the narrative between Paris and Nouméa, placing greater emphasis on economic development rather than institutional disputes, in an effort to forge a viable path out of the political deadlock.
Speaking on Wednesday, she declared: “The government’s obsession with institutions has left a huge hole in the economic development of the island".
Instead, Le Pen is advocating for a practical, forward-looking approach involving business leaders, political stakeholders and civil society to chart a vision for New Caledonia 30 years down the line.
From energy costs to the future of the nickel industry, her focus is: prosperity first, politics later.
Posting on X, Le Pen wrote: "To focus exclusively on the institutional issue is to ignore the economic and social reality of the island. What projects for New Caledonia? What infrastructure, what investments? These are the topics we need to think about today."
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Search for 'common ground'
The far-right leader's remarks come just as President Macron’s office confirmed plans to bring together New Caledonia's independence and loyalist factions in Paris from mid-June, in a bid to “clarify economic, political and institutional issues” and seek common ground after the collapse of negotiations in early May – led by Overseas Minister Manuel Valls.
Those talks, though historic in format, failed to produce a breakthrough and only deepened rifts among the parties.
Valls’ proposal – which floated the idea of dual nationality and significant devolution of powers – was deemed unacceptable by hardline loyalists.
Critics – including loyalist MPs Sonia Backès and Nicolas Metzdorf – called it tantamount to “independence in disguise,” triggering fears of a backdoor breakaway from France.
Backès,president of New Caledonia's prosperous Southern Province, said Macron’s intervention is “logical” and necessary after Valls’ missteps, stating: “the process needed to be reset”.
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Government 'ambiguity' under fire
Amid this, François-Xavier Bellamy – vice-president of France's centre-right Les Républicains – made his party’s position clear during a rally in Nouméa on Wednesday.
He reaffirmed unwavering support for loyalists and condemned any institutional change that would weaken New Caledonia’s place in the French Republic.
“The Caledonians have said ‘no’ to independence three times. That is our fourth referendum,” Bellamy said, in a pointed rebuke of the government’s perceived ambiguity.
He also condemned the state’s “resignation” in the face of last year’s violent unrest, which left 14 dead and caused billions in damage. Bellamy drew a stark line: “If I were asked to sign an agreement that would weaken French New Caledonia, we would immediately leave the French government.”
With Macron now stepping directly into the fray, the coming weeks may prove crucial, but whether his initiative succeeds where others have failed remains to be seen.
Between Le Pen’s economy-first message, the loyalist right’s hardline position, and separatists wary of the French government's overtures, the road to lasting peace and prosperity in New Caledonia is far from straightforward.
(With newswires)
