Caledonian Union
Encyclopedia
The Caledonian Union is a pro-independence
political party
in New Caledonia
. In the latest legislative elections
of May 10, 2009, the party won around 11.65 % of the popular vote, and 9 out of 54 seats in the Territorial Congress
.
, sitting with the MRP
and other Christian democratic parties in France. The first significant success was on February 8, 1953, the election of 15 members of the Caledonian Union lists to the 25 seats General Council. However, the UC grew opposed to the arrival of Gaullist centralism in France, which undid most of the autonomist reforms of the French Fourth Republic
(the Defferre laws
). The UC grew more and more radical, and started flirting with independence. This flirtation led to an outflow of Caldoches into new loyalist parties, such as the Rally for Caledonia in the Republic
. This, combined with corruption scandals, weakened the party considerably. In 1977 in Bourail
, the UC adopted a nationalist platform, supported by Jean-Marie Tjibaou
(and the rare European nationalists, such as Maurice Lenormand and Pierre Declercq). In 1979, the UC joined with the Party of Kanak Liberation
and other parties to form the Nationalist Front, which became the FLNKS
in 1984. The UC was the largest faction in the FLNKS, led by Tjibaou. It was largely moderate, as opposed to the more radical Palika. Tjibaou was killed in 1989 by a extremist Kanak nationalist. Rock Wamytan, the moderate leader of the UC lost a 2001 election to Pascal Naouna, a radical. It has since broken with Palika within the FLNKS, which has no unitary president and very divided. Charles Pidjot
replaced Naouna in 2007.
In the 2009 provincial elections
, the party won 9 seats in the Congress of New Caledonia and around 11.65% of the vote. However, in the South Province
, the UC ran on a common slate with Palika and won one of the four seats won by that list.
The UC controls the provincial presidency of the Loyalty Islands
.
similar to the Marshall Islands
. However, the UC has taken a radical stance in favour of strict adherence to the terms of the Nouméa Accord
, no talks with the loyalists. For example, the UC boycotted the visit of Jacques Chirac
to the island in 2003.
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. In the latest legislative elections
Elections in New Caledonia
Elections in New Caledonia gives information on election and election results in New Caledonia.New Caledonia elects a legislature. The Territorial Congress has 54 members, being the members of the four regional councils, all elected for a five year term by proportional representation.New Caledonia...
of May 10, 2009, the party won around 11.65 % of the popular vote, and 9 out of 54 seats in the Territorial Congress
Territorial Congress of New Caledonia
The Congress of New Caledonia , a "territorial congress" , is the legislature of New Caledonia. It has 54 members, selected proportionally based on the partisan makeup of all three provincial assemblies, all elected for a five year term by proportional representation, with a 5% threshold.-Current...
.
History
The Caledonian Union was born as a cross-community (multi-ethnic) autonomist party, led by Maurice Lenormand, who was the island's sole representative in the French National AssemblyFrench National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
, sitting with the MRP
Popular Republican Movement
The Popular Republican Movement was a French Christian democratic party of the Fourth Republic...
and other Christian democratic parties in France. The first significant success was on February 8, 1953, the election of 15 members of the Caledonian Union lists to the 25 seats General Council. However, the UC grew opposed to the arrival of Gaullist centralism in France, which undid most of the autonomist reforms of the French Fourth Republic
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
(the Defferre laws
Loi Cadre
The loi-cadre was a French legal reform passed by the French National Assembly on 23 June 1956. It marked a turning point in relations between France and its overseas empire...
). The UC grew more and more radical, and started flirting with independence. This flirtation led to an outflow of Caldoches into new loyalist parties, such as the Rally for Caledonia in the Republic
Rally for Caledonia in the Republic
The The Rally–UMP is a conservative political party in New Caledonia, strongly supportive of the French status of the region; it is affiliated with the French Union for a Popular Movement.-History:...
. This, combined with corruption scandals, weakened the party considerably. In 1977 in Bourail
Bourail
Bourail is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean.- Geography :This is a rural town of Grande Terre . The municipality is located in both the mountains and along the sea beaches are tourist but remain wild, they are a place popular...
, the UC adopted a nationalist platform, supported by Jean-Marie Tjibaou
Jean-Marie Tjibaou
Jean-Marie Tjibaou was a leader of the Kanak independence movement and a politician in New Caledonia. The son of a tribal chief, Tjibaou was ordained a priest but abandoned his religious vocation for a life in political activism...
(and the rare European nationalists, such as Maurice Lenormand and Pierre Declercq). In 1979, the UC joined with the Party of Kanak Liberation
Party of Kanak Liberation
The Party of Kanak Liberation is a socialist pro-independence political party in New Caledonia. It is a component of the National Union for Independence, which in turn is one of the two components of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front ....
and other parties to form the Nationalist Front, which became the FLNKS
Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front
The Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front is a militant socialist pro-independence alliance of political parties in New Caledonia. It was founded in 1984 at a congress of various political parties, mainly indigenous but also of disgruntled and progressive New Caledonians of European...
in 1984. The UC was the largest faction in the FLNKS, led by Tjibaou. It was largely moderate, as opposed to the more radical Palika. Tjibaou was killed in 1989 by a extremist Kanak nationalist. Rock Wamytan, the moderate leader of the UC lost a 2001 election to Pascal Naouna, a radical. It has since broken with Palika within the FLNKS, which has no unitary president and very divided. Charles Pidjot
Charles Pidjot
Charles Pidjot, nickname Charly Pidjot an independent politician Kanak, who was born in the community of Conceptions in Le Mont-Dore 17 July 1962, and who is the president of the Caledonian Union since 8 November 2007....
replaced Naouna in 2007.
In the 2009 provincial elections
New Caledonian legislative election, 2009
Parliamentary elections were held in New Caledonia on 10 May 2009. Voters in New Caledonia chose 76 candidates for the French territory's three provincial assemblies. Fifty-four of these 76 members were also to become members of the Congress of New Caledonia...
, the party won 9 seats in the Congress of New Caledonia and around 11.65% of the vote. However, in the South Province
South Province, New Caledonia
The South Province is one of three administrative subdivisions in New Caledonia. It corresponds to the southern and southwestern portion of the New Caledonian mainland. It is by far the most economically developed and most urbanized part of the archipelago and indeed in the entire Melanesian region...
, the UC ran on a common slate with Palika and won one of the four seats won by that list.
The UC controls the provincial presidency of the Loyalty Islands
Loyalty Islands
The Loyalty Islands are an archipelago in the Pacific. They are part of the French territory of New Caledonia, whose mainland is away. They form the Loyalty Islands Province , one of the three provinces of New Caledonia...
.
Ideology
The UC favour the concept of independence-associationAssociated state
An associated state is the minor partner in a formal, free relationship between a political territory with a degree of statehood and a nation, for which no other specific term, such as protectorate, is adopted...
similar to the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. However, the UC has taken a radical stance in favour of strict adherence to the terms of the Nouméa Accord
Nouméa Accord
The Nouméa Accord of 1998 promises to grant political power to New Caledonia and its original population, the Kanaks, until the territory decides whether to remain within the French Republic or become an independent state in a referendum to be held between 2014 and 2019...
, no talks with the loyalists. For example, the UC boycotted the visit of Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
to the island in 2003.