The French Senate in Paris. New Caledonia has two seats. Photo: AFP
Two pro-independence politicians have been put forward as candidates in the election for New Caledonia's two seats in the French Senate.
They are Emile Necehero and Jean Creugnet, representing the separatist parties which decided to engage in this year's French elections.
The other parties making up the pro-independence FLNKS umbrella group decided at the beginning of the year to focus on next year's independence referendum instead.
Standing as an independent is Manuel Millar who came last in the election of a new French National Assembly.
The candidates representing the loyalist camp and front-runners are the incumbent Pierre Frogier and Gerard Poadja standing on the same ticket.
Isabelle Lafleur has been nominated by the Caledonian Republicans.
The Senators are chosen in two rounds of voting by an electoral college of 552 people made up of assembly members and mayors.
The first round will be on September 24th.
A second round is obsolete if two candidates secure an outright majority.