Editing New Caledonia (section)

=== French overseas territory ===
In 1946, New Caledonia became an overseas territory.<ref name="ped"/> By 1953, [[French citizenship]] had been granted to all New Caledonians, regardless of ethnicity.<ref name="ncbrit"/>

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, New Caledonia strengthened its economic links with Australia, particularly as turmoil within France and its empire weakened New Caledonia's traditional economic links to metropolitan France; New Caledonia supplied nickel to Australia in exchange for coal vital for smelting nickel. New Caledonian exports of iron ore and timber to Australia also increased during this time period.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Henningham |first1=Stephen |date=December 2014 |title=Australia's Economic Ambitions in French New Caledonia, 1945–1955 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24644648 |journal=The Journal of Pacific History |volume=49 |issue=4 |pages=421–439 |doi=10.1080/00223344.2014.976915 |jstor=24644648 |s2cid=154479730 |access-date=28 April 2022 |archive-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429074055/https://www.jstor.org/stable/24644648 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The European and [[Polynesians|Polynesian]] populations gradually increased in the years leading to the nickel boom of 1969–1972, and the indigenous [[Kanak people|Kanak]] Melanesians became a minority, though they were still the largest ethnic group.<ref name="ncbrit">{{Britannica|411221|New Caledonia}}</ref>

====The Events====
Between 1976 and 1988, a period referred to as "the Events"<ref name="lm-mdg-24">{{cite news |last1=Mannevy |first1=Charlotte |last2=Derel |first2=Mathurin |last3=Guibert |first3=Nathalie |title=Second night of riots shakes New Caledonia: 'I didn't think it could come to this' |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2024/05/15/second-night-of-riots-shakes-new-caledonia-i-didn-t-think-it-could-come-to-this_6671533_7.html |work=Le Monde |date=May 15, 2024 |access-date=16 May 2024 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524043441/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2024/05/15/second-night-of-riots-shakes-new-caledonia-i-didn-t-think-it-could-come-to-this_6671533_7.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nyt-vb-caled-24">{{cite news |last1=Vinograd |first1=Cassandra |last2=Breeden |first2=Aurelien |title=France Declares State of Emergency Amid Protests in New Caledonia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/world/asia/new-caledonia-france-macron.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 15, 2024 |access-date=16 May 2024 |archive-date=24 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240524053018/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/world/asia/new-caledonia-france-macron.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ({{langx|fr|Les Événements}}<ref name="horowitz-may-2009-pol-geo">{{cite journal |last1=Horowitz |first1=Leah S. |title=Environmental violence and crises of legitimacy in New Caledonia |journal=[[Political Geography]] |date=May 2009 |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=248–258 |doi=10.1016/j.polgeo.2009.07.001 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S096262980900064X |issn=1873-5096 |access-date=16 May 2024 |archive-date=16 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516233831/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S096262980900064X |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="fisher-anu-2013">{{cite book |last1=Fisher |first1=Denise |title=France in the South Pacific: Power and Politics |date=May 2013 |doi=10.22459/FSP.05.2013 |doi-access=free |publisher=[[ANU Press]] |location=[[Canberra]] |isbn=9781922144942}}</ref>), conflicts between French government actions and the Kanak independence movement saw periods of serious violence and disorder.<ref name="ped" /> In 1983, a statute of "enlarged autonomy" for the territory proposed a five-year transition period and a referendum in 1989. In March 1984, the Front Indépendantiste, a Kanak resistance group, seized farms and the [[Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front]] (FLNKS) formed a provisional government. In January 1985, the French Left-wing government offered sovereignty to the Kanaks and legal protection for European settlers. The plan faltered as violence escalated. The government declared a state of emergency; however, [[1985 New Caledonian legislative election|regional elections went ahead]], and the FLNKS won control of three out of four provinces. The centre-right government [[1986 French legislative election|elected in France in March 1986]] began eroding the arrangements established under the Socialists, redistributing lands mostly without consideration of native land claims, resulting in over two-thirds going to Europeans and less than a third to the Kanaks. By the end of 1987, roadblocks, gun battles and the destruction of property culminated in the [[Ouvéa cave hostage taking]], a dramatic hostage crisis just days before the [[1988 French presidential election]] began. Pro-independence militants on [[Ouvéa]] killed four gendarmes and took 27 hostage. The military assaulted the cave to rescue the hostages. Nineteen Kanak hostage takers were killed and another three died in custody, while two soldiers were killed during the assault.<ref>{{Cite news| url= https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/land-and-independence-new-caledonia| title= Land and Independence in New Caledonia| work= Cultural Survival Quarterly Magazine| last= Winslow| first= Donna| date= June 1991| via= culturalsurvival.org| access-date= 2021-02-11| language= en| archive-date= 13 November 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171113112859/https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/land-and-independence-new-caledonia| url-status= live}}</ref>

====Nouméa Accord and independence referendums====

[[File:Two official flags of New Caledonia on same flagpole.png|thumb|left|Flags side by side on the same pole, Nouméa, March 2011]]
The [[Matignon Agreements (1988)|Matignon Agreements]], signed on 26 June 1988, ensured a decade of stability. The [[Nouméa Accord]], signed 5 May 1998, set the groundwork for a 20-year transition that gradually transfers competences to the local government.<ref name="ped" />

Following the timeline set by the Nouméa Accord that stated a vote must take place by the end of 2018, the groundwork was laid for a [[2018 New Caledonian independence referendum|referendum on full independence from France]] at a meeting chaired by the French Prime Minister [[Édouard Philippe]] on 2 November 2017, to be held by November 2018. Voter list eligibility was the subject of a long dispute, but the details were resolved in an electoral list that granted automatic eligibility to voters of Kanak origin but excluded those of other origins who had not been longtime residents of the territory.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2017/11/03/referendum-d-autodetermination-en-nouvelle-caledonie-un-accord-politique-trouve_5209433_823448.html|title=Nouvelle-Calédonie : ce que contient l'" accord politique " sur le référendum d'autodétermination|newspaper=LeMonde.fr|date=3 November 2017|last1=Roger|first1=Patrick|language=fr|trans-title=New Caledonia: what is contained in the 'political agreement' on the self-determination referendum|access-date=17 July 2018|archive-date=22 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622081810/https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2017/11/03/referendum-d-autodetermination-en-nouvelle-caledonie-un-accord-politique-trouve_5209433_823448.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The referendum was held [[2018 New Caledonian independence referendum|on 4 November 2018]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/19/new-caledonia-sets-date-independence-referendum-france|title=New Caledonia sets date for independence referendum|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=20 March 2018|access-date=25 March 2018|archive-date=13 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190513011939/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/19/new-caledonia-sets-date-independence-referendum-france|url-status=live}}</ref> with independence being rejected.<ref>{{Cite magazine| url= http://time.com/5444523/new-caledonia-france-referendum/| title= New Caledonia Votes to Remain Part of France| magazine= [[Time (magazine)|Time.com]]| agency= Associated Press| date= 5 November 2018| place= Nouméa, New Caledonia| language= en| access-date= 2018-11-08| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181109010235/http://time.com/5444523/new-caledonia-france-referendum/| archive-date= 9 November 2018| url-status= dead}}</ref>

Another referendum was [[2020 New Caledonian independence referendum|held in October 2020]], with voters once again choosing to remain a part of France.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-04/new-caledonia-voters-choose-to-stay-part-of-france| title= New Caledonia voters choose to stay part of France| work= Los Angeles Times| agency= Associated Press| first= Charlotte| last= Antoine-Perron| date= 4 October 2020| place= Nouméa, New Caledonia| language= en| access-date= 11 February 2021| archive-date= 8 October 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201008024613/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-04/new-caledonia-voters-choose-to-stay-part-of-france| url-status= live}}</ref> In the 2018 referendum, 56.7% of voters chose to remain in France. In the 2020 referendum, this percentage dropped with 53.4% of voters choosing to remain part of France.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-04 |title=New Caledonia referendum: South Pacific territory rejects independence from France |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54410059 |access-date=2021-07-08 |archive-date=4 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004210340/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54410059 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
The [[2021 New Caledonian independence referendum|third referendum]] was held on 12 December 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210602-french-territory-of-new-caledonia-to-hold-third-independence-referendum |title=French territory of New Caledonia held its third and last independence referendum where 96.49 voted against independence |work=France24 |date=12 December 2021 |access-date=12 December 2021 |archive-date=13 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213224234/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210602-french-territory-of-new-caledonia-to-hold-third-independence-referendum |url-status=live }}</ref> The referendum was boycotted by pro-independence forces, who argued for a delayed vote due to the impact caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic in New Caledonia|COVID-19 pandemic]]; when the French government declined to do so, they called for a boycott. This led to 96% of voters choosing to stay with France.<ref>{{cite news |last=Antoine-Perron |first=Charlotte |title=New Caledonia votes to stay in France; separatists boycott |url=https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-boycotts-paris-storms-bcdf16be51e3bd94e0f332c405c2da8e |work=Associated Press |date=12 December 2021 |access-date=13 December 2021 |archive-date=1 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401010044/https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-boycotts-paris-storms-bcdf16be51e3bd94e0f332c405c2da8e |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2024, [[2024 New Caledonia unrest|riots broke out amid debate]] over a proposed electoral reform in the territory.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Caledonia: 'Shots fired' at police in French territory amid riots over voting reforms |url=https://www.france24.com/en/france/20240514-shots-fired-at-security-forces-in-new-caledonia-riots-over-constitutional-reform |access-date=May 14, 2024 |work=France 24 |archive-date=15 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515003829/https://www.france24.com/en/france/20240514-shots-fired-at-security-forces-in-new-caledonia-riots-over-constitutional-reform |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 2024, then-French Prime Minister [[Michel Barnier]] scrapped the bill, citing the need to restore calm and telling the National Assembly that "avoiding further unrest" was a priority.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|date=2024-10-04 |title=New Caledonian independence leaders wary as France drops voting reform |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20241004-independence-leaders-wary-as-france-suspends-new-caledonia-voting-reform |access-date=2025-04-16 |work=[[Radio France Internationale]] |language=en|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20241231050937/https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20241004-independence-leaders-wary-as-france-suspends-new-caledonia-voting-reform |archive-date=31 December 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>  On 2 December 2024, curfew was officially lifted as the riots were over.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Curfew lifted in French overseas territory of New Caledonia over 6 months after violent riots |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/curfew-lifted-in-french-overseas-territory-of-new-caledonia-over-6-months-after-violent-riots/3411117 |access-date=2025-04-16 |work=[[Anadolu Agency]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20241202195528/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/curfew-lifted-in-french-overseas-territory-of-new-caledonia-over-6-months-after-violent-riots/3411117|archive-date=2 December 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>