1972 New Caledonian legislative election

Legislative elections were held in New Caledonia on 10 September 1972. They had originally been scheduled for July, but were postponed by the French government.[1] Anti-autonomist parties won 18 of the 35 seats, with the previously dominant Caledonian Union reduced from the 22 seats it won in 1967 to only 12.[2]

Background

Prior to the elections, the Caledonian Union (UC) held 12 seats in the 35-member Territorial Assembly, the Caledonian Liberal Movement (a breakaway from the UC) seven, the Democratic Union five, the Multi-Racial Union four, the Democratic and Social Agreement four, the Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists one, the Civic Union one and the Caledonian Popular Movement one.[1]

Campaign

Nine parties contested the elections, with eleven lists running in the South constituency covering Nouméa.[3][2]

Results

Pro-autonomy parties (the Caledonian Union and Multi-Racial Union) won seventeen seats, with anti-autonomist parties (the Democratic and Social Agreement, the Caledonian Liberal Movement, Democratic Union, Caledonian Popular Movement and AICLO) winning eighteen.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Caledonian Union			12	–10
Democratic and Social Agreement			6	New
Caledonian Liberal Movement			5	New
Multi-Racial Union			5	New
Democratic Union			4	New
Caledonian Popular Movement			2	New
Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists			1	New
Civic Union			0	New
Total			35	0
Registered voters/turnout	46,349		–	–
Source: Le Borgne,[4] Pacific Islands Monthly

Elected members

Constituency	Member	Party	Notes
East (7 seats)	Eugène Awaya	Caledonian Union
	Jean-Marie Chanene	Caledonian Union
	Roland Caron	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Marcel Dubois	Democratic Union
	André Gopea	Multi-Racial Union
	Similien Nahiet	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Kiolet Néa Galet	Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists	Re-elected (previously Entente)
Islands (5 seats)	Jérôme Banukone	Caledonian Union
	Jean Caba	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Pierre Issamatro	Multi-Racial Union
	Willy Némia	Multi-Racial Union
	Yann Céléné Uregeï	Multi-Racial Union	Re-elected (previously UC)
South (16 seats)	Alain Bernut	Caledonian Popular Movement	Re-elected (previously NC)
	Edmond Caillard	Democratic and Social Agreement
	Georges Chatenay	Democratic Union	Re-elected (previously Entente)
	Lionel Cherrier	Democratic and Social Agreement
	Claude Fournier	Caledonian Popular Movement
	Max Frouin	Caledonian Liberal Movement	Re-elected (previously UC)
	Fredy Gosse	Caledonian Liberal Movement
	Paul Griscelli	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Michel Kauma	Democratic and Social Agreement
	Jacques Lafleur	Democratic and Social Agreement	Re-elected
	Roger Laroque	Democratic and Social Agreement
	Maurice Lenormand	Caledonian Union
	Jean Lèques	Caledonian Liberal Movement	Re-elected (previously UC)
	Claude Parazols	Caledonian Liberal Movement	Re-elected (previously Entente)
	Rock Pidjot	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Dick Ukeiwé	Democratic Union
West (7 seats)	Jean-Pierre Aïfa	Caledonian Union	Re-elected (previously in South)
	René Hénin	Democratic Union	Re-elected (previously Entente in South)
	Georges Nagle	Caledonian Liberal Movement	Re-elected (previously UC)
	Paul Napoarea	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Edmond Nékiria	Multi-Racial Union
	Gabriel Païta	Caledonian Union	Re-elected
	Roger Pêne	Democratic and Social Agreement	Re-elected
Source: Congress

Aftermath

Although anti-autonomist parties won a one-seat majority, by early 1973 autonomist parties held 20 of the 35 seats following the defection of three members, including Fredy Gosse.[5]

Georges Chatenay resigned from the Assembly in March 1974 and was replaced by Joseph Tidjine.[6] Gosse resigned in May 1974 and was replaced by Evenor de Greslan.[7]

References

1. Caledonian politball: Hearing up for final Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1972, p30
2. Caledonians say a careful 'no' to the autonomists Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1972, p27
3. Governor dons sporting gear for New Caledonia's election game Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1972, p17
4. Jean Le Borgne (2005) Nouvelle-Calédonie, 1945-1968: la confiance trahie, Harmattan, p536
5. The game is anything but cricket in New Caledonia Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1973, p26
6. A 'deceived' Chatenay bows out of Caledonian politics Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1974, p10
7. Another Caledonian MP resigns Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1974, p3