New Caledonia's two main anti-independence political groups have drawn up plans for a pro-French rally to coincide with next month's visit of the French president, Francois Hollande.
Both the Union for Caledonia within France and the Front for Unity have called for a midday march on November the 17th from a Noumea square to the French High Commission.
The rally is to express the wish of the territory's majority to stay French as the new Congress is tasked with organising an independence referendum by 2018.
Mr Hollande is scheduled to spend only one full day in New Caledonia and his preliminary itinerary suggests he won't be in the town centre when the march is to be on.
Anti-independence politicians have accused the Socialists of abandoning the French state's neutrality and favouring the pro-independence camp.
New Caledonia's Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre meets the outer Noumea skyline. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades