Macron Suspends Controversial Voting Reform in New Caledonia

Facts

• French Pres. Emmanuel Macron suspended controversial voting reforms in the Pacific island New Caledonia on Wednesday, prompted by one month of violent protests and civil unrest in the French colony.¹
• The proposed changes would’ve given voting rights to non-indigenous residents of the island, leading members of the native Kanak to express concern. Violence erupted on May 13 and France declared a national emergency in the territory on May 15.²
• Macron visited New Caledonia last month, where he promised not to pass the reform through force but said it would be reviewed in the coming weeks. On Wednesday, however, he announced that he would not 'leave ambiguity' and suspended the plans.³
• The bill had passed both chambers of the French parliament in April and was slated for final approval before June 30. But since Macron dissolved the lower National Assembly on Sunday, he can't recall deputies to hold the required joint session to enact the bill.⁴
• The Kanak Liberation Party said the recent European elections, in which Macron’s allies lost to conservative opponents, 'saw off the constitutional bill.' It also called for a 'rebuilding [of] peace and social ties' following the violence that killed nine people.³
• France has controlled New Caledonia since the 19th century, and many Kanaks have called for increased autonomy or independence. The group comprises just 41% of the archipelago, and many Kanaks claim that non-Kanak residents have played a role in subverting several independence referenda.⁴

Sources: ¹POLITICO, ²ABC News, ³Guardian and ⁴CBS.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Le Monde.fr. French colonialism has subjugated the Kanak people of New Caledonia for far too long, creating a situation in which native people have become a minority. The proposed voting reforms would have further disenfranchised Kanaks by diluting their votes and undermining their efforts for increased self-governance. Macron and his government have botched this situation, and the Kanak people were justified in their protest of France’s ongoing colonization.
• Right narrative, as provided by Europeanconservative. The situation around the Kanak people exposes the stunning hypocrisy of the left. Establishment liberals are eager to voice concern over an indigenous group having its votes diluted by non-indigenous immigrants. This same standard, however, isn't applied to White Europeans, as the left demands that non-Europeans be allowed to vote in local elections. There are strong arguments for the Kanak right to self-determination, and those same arguments apply to Europeans.

Predictions