A new anti-independence party will be launched in New Caledonia this week.
Photo: AFP
On Thursday, the Caledonian Republicans will hold their inaugural party congress in Noumea.
They had been a political group for half a year emerging from the campaign for the French parliamentary election when rifts within the anti-independence camp deepen.
Sonia Backes has put forward her name to lead the party which has six of the 54 seats in the territorial legislature or Congress.
Her group had been at odds with the larger anti-independence coalition over a range of issues and advocates continued adherence to France.
Its only member of the 11-strong collegial government was the only one to refuse to vote for Philippe Germain in last week's presidential election.