New Caledonia rejects independence from France,votes to remain part of France

Voters in New Caledonia rejected independence for the Pacific archipelago in a referendum on Sunday Nov 04,2018, with just over 56% choosing to keep ties with the mainland in a closely-watched test of support for France in one of its most remote territories.

On the final count, 56.4 percent of people had rejected the proposition that New Caledonia
become independent, in a clear but smaller-than-expected victory for loyalists to the mainland.

Some 175,000 people were eligible to vote, with officials reporting turnout at over 80%.

To ensure that there were no questions about the validity of the official results, 250 delegates from France and the UN were present at polling stations.

"The majority of Caledonians have chosen France: it's a sign of confidence in the French republic, in its future and its values," French President  Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address from the Élysée Palace.