In August, the FLNKS rejected the latest outcomes of political talks in Bougival (near Paris). Photo: AFP / Delphine Mayeur
Newly appointed French Minister for Overseas Naïma Moutchou has now rescheduled her first visit to New Caledonia, which was postponed last week due to urgent budget talks in Paris.
In the latest version of her schedule for next week, Moutchou now has earmarked the date of 8 November as her take-off for the French Pacific territory.
Taking into account the duration of her trip, local political sources have refined her travel dates from 10 to 14 November 2025.
The visit was initially scheduled from 3 to 7 November 2025, with high on the agenda a resumption of talks regarding New Caledonia's institutional and political future.
French Minister for Overseas Naïma Moutchou Photo: AFP / Magali Cohen
According to her initial detailed schedule, she was supposed to hold a series of political meetings with all stakeholders, as well as visits on the ground.
As French parliament last week endorsed an "organic" bill to postpone New Caledonia's provincial elections (originally scheduled to be held not later than 30 November 2025) to not later than 28 June 2026, one of the aims was to re-engage one of the main components of the pro-independence movement, the FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front).
In August, the FLNKS rejected the latest outcomes of political talks in Bougival (near Paris), which envisaged granting New Caledonia the status of "State" within the French realm, a dual "New Caledonian nationality" and the transfer of some key powers (such as foreign affairs) from Paris to Nouméa.
All of the other parties (both pro-France and pro-independence) agreed to commit to the Bougival text.
In the modified (and endorsed in the French parliament) version of the text to postpone the key provincial elections, all previous mentions of the Bougival agreement were removed by the French Parliament.
This was described as a way of allowing "more time" for talks in New Caledonia to be both conclusive and inclusive, without rejecting any component of the political chessboard.
"We can't do without the FLNKS. As long as the FLNKS does not want to do without the other (parties)", Moutchou told parliament last week.
The provincial elections in New Caledonia are crucial in the sense that they determine New Caledonia's political structure with a trickle-down effect from members of the three provincial assemblies - North, South and the Loyalty Islands - and, proportionally, the make-up of the local parliament (the Congress) and then, also proportionally to the makeup of the Congress, the local "collegial" government of the French Pacific territory.
Under the same proportional spirit, a president is elected and portfolios are then allocated.
As Moutchou's earlier visit postponement has left many local politicians doubtful and perplexed, she reassured "New Caledonia remains at the heart" of France's commitment.
Since he was elected Prime Minister in early September, Sébastien Lecornu also stressed several times that, even at the national level, New Caledonia's pressing political issues were to be considered a matter of priority, in a post-May 2024 riot atmosphere which left 14 dead, hundreds of businesses destroyed, thousands of jobless, damage estimated to be in excess of €2 billion and a drastic drop of its GDP to the tune of -13.5 percent.
Lecornu was Minister for French Overseas between 2020 and 2022.
Since the riots, the French government committed increased financial assistance to restore the ailing economy, including €1billion in the form of a loan.
Controversial loan
But a growing portion of local parties is opposed to the notion of loan and wants, instead, this to be converted into a non-refundable grant.
"This is essential for our public finances, because when (France) lends us €1 billion, in fact we'll have to repay €1.7 billion. New Caledonia just can't bear that", pro-France politician Nicolas Metzdorf told public broadcaster NC la 1ère on Sunday.
"But first, there will have to be a political agreement between New Caledonian politicians."
France, on its side, is asking for more genuine reforms from the local government.
Even though all references to the Bougival agreement project were removed from the final text to postpone New Caledonia's local elections to June 2026, if talks do resume, any future outcome, in the form of a "consensual" solution, could either be built on the same "agreement project", or result from talks from scratch.
"So we'll have to see whether we can find a way forward with FLNKS. If they come back to the table to discuss, let's discuss", Metzdorf commented on Sunday.
"But we'll not start all over (negotiations). Bougival is the most advanced negotiation we've had until now. We just can't wipe that out, we have to take it from there", he said, adding the text can be further amended and rectified.
All of the political parties who have remained committed to the Bougival text (including pro-France parties, but also pro-independence "moderates" such as PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) and UPM (Progressist Union in Melanesia) have since called on FLNKS to join back in the talks.
A new 'super-minister' for budget and finance
When she sets foot in New Caledonia, Moutchou will find a reshuffled government: on Wednesday, New Caledonia's crucial portfolios of budget and finance have been reattributed to Christopher Gygès, making him the most powerful item in the local cabinet.
This followed the resignation of Thierry Santa last week.
Santa, one of the key ministers in the local government announced his resignation and withdrawal from politics on 1 November.
Christopher Gygès (left) and Naïa Wateou (second left) at New Caledonia’s collegial government meeting on Wednesday 5 November 2025. Photo: Supplied / Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Calédonie
On top of budget and finance, Gygès also keeps his previous portfolios of energy, digital affairs and investor "attractiveness".
He remains in charge of other crucial sectors such as the economy.
"It may seem a lot, but it's consistent", Gygès, now regarded as a "super-minister" within the local government led by pro-France Alcide Ponga, told local media on Wednesday.
He will be the key person for any future economic talks with Paris, including on the sensitive €1 billion French loan issue and its possible conversion into a grant.
Even though Santa's seat as government member was filled by Naïa Wateou (from Les Loyalistes [pro-France] party), New Caledonia's collegial government on Wednesday re-allotted several portfolios.
In the eleven-member Cabinet, 41-year-old Wateou's arrival now brings to two the number of female members/ministers.
She is now in charge of employment, labour (inherited from Gygès), public service, audiovisual media and handicap-challenged persons.
