A New Caledonian member of the French National Assembly Philippe Dunoyer says New Caledonia's restricted electoral rolls can no longer be justified and must be opened.
Under the 1998 Noumea Accord, which is enshrined in the French constitution, voting rights in provincial elections are restricted to indigenous people and long-term residents.
Last week, France's top court rejected a challenge to the December referendum and confirmed that the vote against independence from France won't be annulled.
Photo: AFP
Mr Dunoyer says with this ruling, the Noumea Accord has come to its conclusion and discussions about the future need to be started.
He says foremost is the question of the electoral rolls as currently more than 40,000 French residents lack full voting rights, giving New Caledonia the strictest terms for citizenship.
Pro-independence leaders insist that the rolls must not be touched, fearing a change would make the indigenous Kanak a minority.