France declares state of emergency in New Caledonia following outbreak of violent protests | Global News

France has declared a state of emergency on the Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia after violent protests erupted over electoral reforms, resulting in the death of one police officer and three others, as reported by the Washington Post.

New Caledonia, a French overseas territory located off Australia’s eastern coast, has been engulfed in the worst violence in decades, sparking long-running tensions over Paris’ role in the archipelago.

Government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot called for calm and appeasement following the tragic deaths, urging for the resumption of political dialogue to address the violence.

The state of emergency, effective from 8 pm (Paris time) on Wednesday, grants local authorities expanded powers to maintain public order in the face of imminent danger resulting from serious breaches of public order.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s office released a statement condemning the violence as intolerable and promising a relentless response to restore order.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal emphasized the need for a state of emergency to deploy massive means to quell the unrest that has gripped New Caledonia.

The protests erupted as French lawmakers were set to vote on expanding voting rights in the territory, a move criticized for potentially marginalizing the Indigenous Kanak population and favoring pro-French politicians.

Under the 1998 Noumea Accord, voting was restricted to Kanaks and individuals born before 1998, but the new constitutional measure would allow long-term residents to vote in local elections, diluting the power of the Kanaks.

The unrest has led to numerous injuries, attacks on police barracks, arson, looting, and an attempted prison break, prompting the French government to deploy additional law enforcement officers and impose a curfew in the capital, Noumea.

The mineral-rich New Caledonia has a history of tensions between Kanaks and European descendants over the issue of independence, with past referendums rejecting independence. The latest vote in December 2021 was boycotted due to the pandemic, further fueling the ongoing unrest in the territory.