1984 New Caledonian legislative election

1984 New Caledonian legislative election
New Caledonia
← 1979 18 November 1984 1985 →

All 36 seats in Congress
18 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
RPCR Jacques Lafleur 70.87 34 +19
LKS Nidoïsh Naisseline 7.33 6 New
National Front Roger Galliot 6.05 1 New
FNSC Jean-Pierre Aïfa 4.45 1 −6
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
President of Congress before President of Congress after
Jean Pierre-Aïfa
FNSC
Dick Ukeiwé
RPCR

Legislative elections were held in New Caledonia on 18 November 1984. They had originally been planned for July, but were postponed due to threats by the Independence Front to boycott and disrupt the vote.[1] Most members of the Front subsequently merged into the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front in September,[2] and proceeded to boycott the elections. As a result, the Rally for Caledonia in the Republic won 34 of the 42 seats in a landslide victory. Following the elections, Dick Ukeiwé became President of the Government.

Conduct

The elections were marred by violence; several houses, town halls and shops were set on fire, with FLNKS members clashing with security forces. FLNKS also took a French administrator hostage on Lifou Island and occupied a police station in north-east of the territory.[3] On election day 200 Kanaks entered a polling station in Canala and destroyed ballot papers.[3]

Results

Overall voter turnout was just over 50%, but estimated to be only 15% amongst the Kanak community.[3]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Rally for Caledonia in the Republic27,85170.8734+19
Kanak Socialist Liberation2,8797.336New
National Front2,3796.051New
Federation for a New Caledonian Society1,7484.451–6
Seven other parties4,43911.300
Total39,296100.0042+6
Valid votes39,29698.90
Invalid/blank votes4391.10
Total votes39,735100.00
Registered voters/turnout79,27150.13
Source: Clark[4]

Elected members

Constituency Member Party Notes
East (9 seats) Jules Ate Rally for Caledonia
Félix Belle Rally for Caledonia
Roger Galliot National Front
Jacques Mainguet Rally for Caledonia
Auguste Parawi-Reybas Rally for Caledonia Re-elected
Mathias Nechero Kanak Socialist Liberation
Maurice Nénou Rally for Caledonia
Francis Poadouy Kanak Socialist Liberation Re-elected
Henri Wetta Rally for Caledonia
Islands (7 seats) Basile Citré Kanak Socialist Liberation
Jacques Lalié Kanak Socialist Liberation
Nidoïsh Naisseline Kanak Socialist Liberation Re-elected
Robert Naxue Paouta Rally for Caledonia
William Trongadjo Kanak Socialist Liberation
Simijane Yeiwie Rally for Caledonia
Goïne Ferdinand Wamo Rally for Caledonia
South (17 seats) Victorin Boewa Rally for Caledonia
Jean-Claude Briault Rally for Caledonia
Françoise Chaverot Rally for Caledonia
Albert Etuvé Rally for Caledonia
Georges Faure Rally for Caledonia Re-elected
Max Frouin Rally for Caledonia Re-elected
Justin Guillemard Rally for Caledonia Re-elected (previously in West)
Wassissi Kapua Rally for Caledonia
Daniel Laborde Rally for Caledonia
Jacques Lafleur Rally for Caledonia Re-elected
Henri Leleu Rally for Caledonia
Jean Lèques Rally for Caledonia Re-elected
Philippa Ma-Moon Rally for Caledonia
Claude Lemaître Rally for Caledonia
Harold Martin Rally for Caledonia
Patrice Muller Rally for Caledonia
Atélémo Taofifenua Rally for Caledonia
West (9 seats) Jean-Pierre Aïfa Federation for a New Caledonian Society Re-elected
Robert Frouin Rally for Caledonia
Jean Guindon Rally for Caledonia
Sosimo Malalua Rally for Caledonia
Michaël Meunier-Malignon Rally for Caledonia
Robert Saggio Rally for Caledonia
Apou Thidjite Rally for Caledonia
Dick Ukeiwé Rally for Caledonia Re-elected (previously in Islands)
Naco Voudjo Rally for Caledonia

Aftermath

Violence continued after the elections; FLNKS members occupied the police station in Thio on 20 November and held five policemen hostage. Rebels set up a 'Government of Kanaky' in early December, headed by Jean-Marie Tjibaou. European settlers in Hienghène killed ten FLNKS militants on 5 December, including two brothers of Tjibaou.[3]

Dick Ukeiwé became President of the Government, heading a ten-member cabinet.[5]

Position Member
President of the Government Dick Ukeiwé
Minister of Agriculture Michel Kauma
Minister of Culture Joseph Tidjine
Minister of Economy and Finances Pierre Frogier
Minister of Education Delin Wéma
Minister of Health and Social Affairs Pierre Maresca
Minister of Labour Denis Milliard
Minister of Natural Resources Yves Magnier
Minister of Tourism, Transport and Communications Charles Lavoix
Minister of Youth and Sport Goïne Wamo

References

  1. ^ Waiting for the 'unblocking' Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1984, p26
  2. ^ 131 years on, the FLKNKS Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1984, p27
  3. ^ a b c d French scramble to head off crisis Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1985, pp14–16
  4. ^ Alan Clark (1987) "Conflict formal and informal: Elections in New Caledonia, 1984–1986" Pacific Studies, volume 10, number 3
  5. ^ Actes du Gouernement du Territoire Journal officiel de la Nouvelle-Caledonie, 27 November 1984