A third attempt to elect a new president in New Caledonia has failed.
Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Walter Zweifel
The 11 member collegial government met this morning in Noumea but the majority FLNKS pro-independence groupings again could not agree on a single candidate.
This means the new government cannot be properly constituted leaving the old government in a caretaker role with budget responsibility given to the French High Commission.
As with both the earlier attempts in February and March today's vote saw anti-independence leader Thierry Santa securing four votes with an even split of three votes each for the pro-independence candidates Louis Mapou and Samuel Hnepeune and one abstention.
The political uncertainty in New Caledonia could not have come at a worse time with serious outbreaks of Covid-19 in the community and neighbouring Wallis and Futuna and the territory still reeling from the impacts of Cyclone Niran last month.