1 Apr 2021

New Caledonia to attempt presidential election again

7:47 am on 1 April 2021

New Caledonia's 11 newly elected ministers will today make another attempt to choose a new president.

New Caledonia government lineup.

New Caledonia government lineup. Photo: Supplied

In both February and March, they failed to agree on who should lead the new administration.

The collegial government is only properly constituted if there is a president.

This has left the old governent in a caretaker role for now two months and given budget responsibility to the French High Commission.

After the five pro-independence ministers brought down the old government, their parties returned with six ministers, but their split in their support for the two contenders Louis Mapou and Samuel Hnepeune.

In the preceding votes, the former president and current caretaker leader Thierry Santa secured four votes from the anti-independence side.