Emmanuel Macron flew on Tuesday May 21, in the evening, Paris time, to Nouméa in the company of the Minister of the Armed Forces, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Overseas Territories. This surprise visit was announced the same morning when calm had not yet returned to the archipelago. The Head of State is trying to regain control of this ultra-sensitive issue by going to New Caledonia. He should arrive at 10 p.m. local time (1 p.m. Paris time) and stay there for 24 hours.
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Emmanuel Macron tries a poker game with a trip of 34,000 kilometers Paris-Noumea-Paris with hope: “ allow the start of a return of dialogue “.
The first message is clear, explains Valérie Gas, from the RFI political service. Distance is not an obstacle to the president’s commitment. And since the Caledonian elected officials were unable to respond to the Prime Minister’s invitation to come to Paris as air traffic was interrupted, Emmanuel Macron decided to go himself to meet them there. Those around him explain that “ if he travels so many kilometers, it is because he believes that his physical presence can encourage everyone to dialogue “.
Breaking the political deadlock
The bet is not won in advance. The situation is not appeased. The state of emergency is still in effect. Emmanuel Macron will therefore also assess the security situation. But it is above all to try to break the political impasse that he is personally involved.
The president must announce the installation of a mission, where many called for mediation, and he must talk about reconstruction. Emmanuel Macron is expected to continue the reform of the electoral body, a point of tension between loyalists and separatists. The president takes risks because he has no right to fail.
What do Caledonians expect from this visit?
The Caledonians expect a lot from this visit, says our correspondent in Nouméa, Charlotte Mannevy. This will be the challenge for the President of the Republic who is somewhat expected to be the messiah here, while the situation has still not stabilized.
Again this night, businesses were set on fire, scuffles with the police took place in the capital, but also in the neighboring towns of Dumbéa and Mont-Dore. And if the situation is “ overall calmer “, according to the representative of the high commission, it is still very difficult to move around, several neighborhoods are still in the hands of rioters. So many here hope that Emmanuel Macron’s visit will be an electric shock and will bring everyone around the table.
There is an emergency, after 10 days of riots the capital is bloodless. For example, we still cannot obtain normal supplies; food and fuel are lacking despite the efforts of the authorities. Added to this is a cyberattack of unprecedented scale triggered shortly after the announcement of the presidential visit. A controlled cyberattack but which almost brought down the local internet.
This all has to stop, we keep repeating everywhere. But how, no one seems to have the key and all hopes are therefore focused on the head of state.
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New Caledonia, surprise guest in the debate of the head of the European list
Less than three weeks before the European elections, the heads of the list of the main French political parties met on LCI Tuesday evening to launch a series of televised debates in the final stretch before the vote. More than three hours of discussions, often heated, sometimes vehement and regularly engulfed in an ambient hubbub. Even if a moment of consensus has emerged.
Ukraine and Gaza to begin with, obviously, it promised to be hot and the hostilities did not take long between the two heads of the list leading the voting intentions, Jordan Bardella for the RN and Valérie Hayer for the presidential camp: “ I ask you to explain your personal votes in the European Parliament “, says Valérie Hayer. “ But what votes are you accusing me of, Madam? » asks Jordan Bardella. “ None of your votes for Ukraine, none of your votes sanctioning Russia », Retorts the candidate from the presidential camp.
Enough to set the tone in a debate where the presenter, David Pujadas, often had to intervene. Spats often relegate the majority of candidates to the rank of spectators. Even the surprise theme devoted to Emmanuel Macron’s visit to New Caledonia, a laudable and necessary initiative in the opinion of all, with some nuances, notably coming from the Insoumise Manon Aubry: ” I believe that the first thing that the President of the Republic in New Caledonia must achieve is the withdrawal of this constitutional bill. »
Then the invectives return. Jordan Bardella, considered contemptuous by his adversaries, was thus scolded by the communist Léon Deffontaines: “ You tell us “respect” morning, noon and evening, you are not even capable of respecting your speaking time, a little respect Mr. Bardella, seriously! » Next meeting: this Thursday, with a much more limited debate between Jordan Bardella, again, and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.