1972 New Caledonian legislative election
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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
[edit]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
[edit]Nine parties contested the elections, with eleven lists running in the South constituency covering Nouméa.[3][2]
Results
[edit]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.
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caledonian Union | 12 | –10 | |||
| Democratic and Social Agreement | 6 | New | |||
| Caledonian Liberal Movement | 5 | New | |||
| Multi-Racial Union | 5 | New | |||
| Democratic Union | 4 | New | |||
| Caledonian Popular Movement | 2 | New | |||
| Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists | 1 | New | |||
| Civic Union | 0 | New | |||
| Total | 35 | 0 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 46,349 | – | |||
| Source: Le Borgne,[4] Pacific Islands Monthly | |||||
Elected members
[edit]Aftermath
[edit]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
[edit]- ^ a b Caledonian politball: Hearing up for final Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1972, p30
- ^ a b Caledonians say a careful 'no' to the autonomists Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1972, p27
- ^ Governor dons sporting gear for New Caledonia's election game Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1972, p17
- ^ Jean Le Borgne (2005) Nouvelle-Calédonie, 1945-1968: la confiance trahie, Harmattan, p536
- ^ The game is anything but cricket in New Caledonia Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1973, p26
- ^ A 'deceived' Chatenay bows out of Caledonian politics Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1974, p10
- ^ Another Caledonian MP resigns Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1974, p3
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