New Caledonia's government has again failed to elect a vice-president.
Photo: RNZ Pacific / Walter Zweifel
The 11 ministers met to choose between the two pro-independence candidates Gilbert Tyuienon and Jean-Pierre Djaiwe.
They received three and two votes respectively, with the six anti-independence members abstaining.
Under the power-sharing arrangement of the collegial government, the vice-presidency is to go to a pro-independence minister after last week's election of the anti-independence politician Thierry Santa as president.
The government is considered operational seven days after the election of the president.
Mr Santa was elected with the vote of the care-taker president Philippe Germain who earlier abstained amid differences within the anti-independence camp.