New Caledonia poised for first pro-independence government

The Congress of New Caledonia could be poised to elect the territory's first pro-independence government.

Provisional lists were submitted last week by the main political groupings in the French Territory ahead of Wednesday's election.

This comes after the collapse of government this month following the withdrawal of the pro-independence bloc who cited persistent economic problems and unrest related to the sale of nickel assets.

Te Herenga Waka Victoria University lecturer, Adrian Muckle, said they had expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of constructive dialogue regarding the crisis in the territory's nickel sector.

Muckle said the pro and anti-independence groupings were equal in strength but what had changed was that the Pacific Awakening Party [representing people of Wallis and Futuna descent], which often took a neutral stance on the issue of New Caledonian independence, looked to have changed its allegiances.

Muckle said providing nothing changes this could mean six seats for the pro-independence bloc and five seats for French loyalists.

"The critical sort of nuance here is that the king-maker party is not itself taking a direct position on independence," he said.

"So what you would have potentially the first 'independent-ist' president of New Caledonia since the 1980s, leading a government which would primarily be made up of islanders, which again would be a first."