Politics of New Caledonia
High Commissioner Patrice Faure President of the Government Louis Mapou Vice President of the Government Isabelle Champmoreau Congress President Roch Wamytan Political parties Recent elections Legislative: 2004 2009 2014 2019 Referendums: 1987 2018 2020 2021 Matignon Agreements Nouméa Accord
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Legislative elections were held in New Caledonia on 10 September 1972. They had originally been scheduled for July, but were postponed by the French government.^[1] Anti-autonomist parties won 18 of the 35 seats, with the previously dominant Caledonian Union reduced from the 22 seats it won in 1967 to only 12.^[2]

Background

Prior to the elections, the Caledonian Union (UC) held 12 seats in the 35-member Territorial Assembly, the Caledonian Liberal Movement (a breakaway from the UC) seven, the Democratic Union five, the Multi-Racial Union four, the Democratic and Social Agreement four, the Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists one, the Civic Union one and the Caledonian Popular Movement one.^[1]

Campaign

Nine parties contested the elections, with eleven lists running in the South constituency covering Nouméa.^[3][2]

Results

Pro-autonomy parties (the Caledonian Union and Multi-Racial Union) won seventeen seats, with anti-autonomist parties (the Democratic and Social Agreement, the Caledonian Liberal Movement, Democratic Union, Caledonian Popular Movement and AICLO) winning eighteen.

Aftermath

Although anti-autonomist parties won a one-seat majority, by early 1973 autonomist parties held 20 of the 35 seats following the defection of three members, including Fredy Gosse.^[5]

Georges Chatenay resigned from the Assembly in March 1974 and was replaced by Joseph Tidjine.^[6] Gosse resigned in May 1974 and was replaced by Evenor de Greslan.^[7]

References