1962 New Caledonian legislative election

Legislative elections were held in New Caledonia on 15 April 1962.[1] The result was a victory for the Caledonian Union, which retained its majority in the Assembly.

Background

The Assembly elected in 1958 was dissolved by the Governor Laurent Elisée Péchoux on 9 March after the Caledonian Union (which held a majority of seats) refused to approve the High Commissioner's agenda.[2]

Results

The Caledonian Union retained the 18 seats it won in the 1958 elections. The Entente, an alliance of the Union for the New Republic and some Caledonian Union dissidents won nine seats, whilst the Caledonian Rally was reduced to only three seats.[3]

PartySeats+/–
Caledonian Union180
Entente9New
Caledonian Rally3–8
Total300
Source: Leblic

Elected members

Constituency Member Party Notes
East (7 seats) Bernard Brou Entente Re-elected (previously RC)
Michel Devillers Caledonian Union Elected
Kiolet Néa Galet Entente Re-elected (previously UC)
Guy Leroy Caledonian Union Elected
Émile Wénou Néchero Caledonian Union Re-elected
Théophile Wakolo Pouyé Caledonian Union Re-elected
Doui Matayo Wetta Entente Elected
Islands (5 seats) Gope-Laguise Iekawé Caledonian Union Re-elected
Paul Katrei Caledonian Union Re-elected
Michel Kauma Entente Re-elected (previously UC)
Henri Naisseline Entente Re-elected (previously RC)
Fleury Trongadjo Caledonian Union Elected
South (10 seats) Georges Chatenay Entente Re-elected (previously RC)
Luc Chevalier Caledonian Union Elected
Evenor de Greslan Caledonian Union Re-elected
Antoine Griscelli Caledonian Union Re-elected
Thomas Hagen Entente Re-elected (previously RC)
Henri Lafleur Caledonian Rally Re-elected
Armand Ohlen Caledonian Union Re-elected
Kamandji Ouamambare Caledonian Union Elected
Rock Pidjot Caledonian Union Re-elected
Albert Rapadzi Caledonian Rally Re-elected
West (8 seats) Lucien Allard Caledonian Union Re-elected
Gaston Belouma Caledonian Union Elected
Marcel Bordes Caledonian Rally Re-elected
René Hénin Entente Re-elected (previously RC)
Maurice Lenormand Caledonian Union Re-elected
Edmond Nékiriai Entente Elected
Georges Nagle Caledonian Union Re-elected
Gabriel Païta Caledonian Union Re-elected
Source: Jean Le Borgne,[4] Congress

Aftermath

The newly elected Assembly met for the first time on 26 April. Antoine Griscelli was elected as president of the legislature.[5]

On 6 June 1962, the results in the South constituency were annulled.[6] A by-election was held on 4 November, in which the Caledonian Union won five seats (Luc Chevalier, Evenor de Greslan, Antoine Griscelli, Armand Ohlen and Rock Pidjot), Caledonian Rally three (Berge, Henri Lafleur and Claude Parazols) and the Entente two (Georges Chatenay and Thomas Hagen). This represented a loss of one seat for the Caledonian Union (Kamandji Ouamambare) and gain of one seat for the Caledonian Rally (Berge and Parazols, replacing Albert Rapadzi).

Gaston Belouma resigned from the Assembly on 26 October and was replaced by Thène Fonguimoin Boahoumé-Arhou, who was next on the party's list.[6] Théophile Wakolo Pouyé resigned on 4 December the same year and was replaced by Austien Dalap Touyada.[6] Maurice Lenormand resigned on 21 March 1964 and was replaced by Henri Teambouéon.[6]

Antoine Griscelli died on 22 November 1966 and Paul Katrei on 10 April 1967. Neither were replaced.[6]

References

  1. ^ Round the Vicious Circle in N. Caledonia Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1962, p23
  2. ^ Assembly Dissolved: New Caledonian Nickel Trouble Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1962, p19
  3. ^ Isabelle Leblic "Chronologie de Kanaky Nouvelle-Calédonie (1774-2018). Version revue et augmentée en 2018 " Journal de la Société des Océanistes, 2018 Volumbe 2, issue 147, pp529–564
  4. ^ Jean Le Borgne (2005) Nouvelle-Calédonie, 1945-1968: la confiance trahie, Harmattan, p308
  5. ^ New Caledonian Assembly In Fiery Session Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1962, p123
  6. ^ a b c d e La composition Congress of New Caledonia