The Citizenship Dilemma in Decolonising New Caledonia

A “citizenship of New Caledonia” has proven to be one of the most significant yet polarising aspects of the 1998 Nouméa Accord. Citizenship of New Caledonia restricted who could vote in provincial elections and for the Congress but also shaped efforts to promote local employment. In the Accord, it is the political and moral basis for New Caledonia’s common destiny and endeavours to transcend pro- and anti-independence divisions. This chapter outlines the historical roots of the notion of citizenship within New Caledonia and how it has emerged within competing understandings of decolonisation and self-determination. Citizenship of New Caledonia rejects the universal assumptions of French decolonisation in favour of a new political community with the Kanak people at its centre. This chapter highlights the difficulties of agreeing to boundaries of citizenship due in part to citizenship’s role as a political mechanism to achieve balance between the two opposing forces.