Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
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 descent.
(UC) (a center-left formerly multi-ethnic party dating back to the early postwar period) on one hand and the National Union for Independence
(UNI) on the other hand. The UNI includes Melanesian Progressive Union
(a political movement based on the island's west coast and mainly around the village of Poya, where its founder, the late Edmond Nekiriai hails from), the Oceanian Democratic Rally
(a Polynesian
(Wallisian-and-Futunian) based party) and the Party of Kanak Liberation
(PALIKA), a more radical party founded by left leaning students that came back from France
after the May 1968 riots. Both the UC and UNI are of approximately equal size, and with varying rhetoric. However, all support the independence of New Caledonia
The party has been divided since the early 1990s
between the Caledonian Union and UNI, and, as a result, the two factions often run candidates and lists against each other and neither can agree on a name for the leader of the FLNKS. The coalition only has a spokesperson, Victor Tutugoro.
An attempt to re-unite the party was made on the occasion of the 2007 legislative elections
in France
, in which both New Caledonian constituencies
were up for election. In New Caledonia's 1st constituency
, Charles Washetine, a member of UNI-Palika ran with a Caledonian Union running mate. In New Caledonia's 2nd constituency
, the leader of the Caledonian Union, Charles Pidjot, ran with a UNI-Palika running mate. However, both were defeated by the candidates of The Rally-UMP.
The FLNKS ran a common list in the South Province
in the 2009 election
which obtained 8.82% and 4 seats in the province. The division of the nationalists in the province in 2004
had caused the pro-independence faction not to win any seats.
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
pro-independence
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:...
alliance of political parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
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...
. It was founded in 1984 at a congress of various political parties, mainly indigenous but also of disgruntled and progressive New Caledonians of European descent.
Overview
The FLNKS is composed of the Caledonian UnionCaledonian Union
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.-History:...
(UC) (a center-left formerly multi-ethnic party dating back to the early postwar period) on one hand and the National Union for Independence
National Union for Independence
The National Union for Independence is a militant socialist pro-independence alliance of political parties in New Caledonia. It is a component of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front along with the Caledonian Union.-Components:...
(UNI) on the other hand. The UNI includes Melanesian Progressive Union
Melanesian Progressive Union
The Melanesian Progressive Union is a militant 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 .-History:The UPM was founded in 1974 by...
(a political movement based on the island's west coast and mainly around the village of Poya, where its founder, the late Edmond Nekiriai hails from), the Oceanian Democratic Rally
Oceanian Democratic Rally
The Oceanian Democratic Rally is a militant 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 .-History:The RDO was founded in 1994 by...
(a Polynesian
Polynesians
The Polynesian peoples is a grouping of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages within the Austronesian languages, and inhabit Polynesia. They number approximately 1,500,000 people...
(Wallisian-and-Futunian) based party) and 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 ....
(PALIKA), a more radical party founded by left leaning students that came back from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after the May 1968 riots. Both the UC and UNI are of approximately equal size, and with varying rhetoric. However, all support the independence of 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...
The party has been divided since the early 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
between the Caledonian Union and UNI, and, as a result, the two factions often run candidates and lists against each other and neither can agree on a name for the leader of the FLNKS. The coalition only has a spokesperson, Victor Tutugoro.
An attempt to re-unite the party was made on the occasion of the 2007 legislative elections
French legislative election, 2007
The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in which both New Caledonian constituencies
Constituency (France)
France is divided into 577 constituencies for the legislative elections . Members of Parliament to the National Assembly are elected in a two round system to a term fixed to a maximum of five years...
were up for election. In New Caledonia's 1st constituency
New Caledonia's 1st constituency
The 1st constituency of New Caledonia is a French legislative constituency in New Caledonia.Between 1958 and 1962, the constituency represented the entirety of the New Hebrides condominium and the constituency represented the entirety of New Caledonia until a redistricting in 1978 created the 2nd...
, Charles Washetine, a member of UNI-Palika ran with a Caledonian Union running mate. In New Caledonia's 2nd constituency
New Caledonia's 2nd constituency
The 2nd constituency of New Caledonia is a French legislative constituency in New Caledonia.The second constituency was created in a redistricting in 1978. Between 1978 and a new redistricting in 1986, the second constituency represented the ethnically diverse western shore of the main island, but...
, the leader of the Caledonian Union, Charles Pidjot, ran with a UNI-Palika running mate. However, both were defeated by the candidates of The Rally-UMP.
The FLNKS ran a common list 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...
in the 2009 election
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...
which obtained 8.82% and 4 seats in the province. The division of the nationalists in the province in 2004
New Caledonian legislative election, 2004
Legislative elections for the Congress were held in New Caledonia on 9 May 2004. Although the Rally for Caledonia in the Republic and Future Together both won 16 seats, Future Together's Marie-Noëlle Thémereau became President....
had caused the pro-independence faction not to win any seats.
Presidents
- Jean-Marie TjibaouJean-Marie TjibaouJean-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...
(1984-1989) - Paul NéaoutyinePaul NéaoutyinePaul Néaoutyine is a New Caledonian politician. A Kanak of the Saint-Michel tribe, he has been president of the North Province of New Caledonia since 1999. He is a supporter of New Caledonian independence.-References:...
(1989-1995) - Rock Wamytan (1995-2001)