Final Independence Referendum in New Caledonia

The third and final independence referendum goes down by a very big margin in New Caledonia with 96.5 percent of formal votes rejecting the proposition. This was unexpected after 57 percent against in 2018 and 53 percent against in 2020. Calls by supporters for a boycott of the referendum or informal votes were heeded after France did not comply with the request for a delay in the vote to observe a traditional period of mourning after the September surge in coronavirus cases. Turnout was only 43.9 percent. The possibility of a fourth referendum at a later date has now been floated.