The independence referendum in New Caledonia took place on 4 November 2018 and asked voters whether the territory should become an independent country or remain part of France. The declared result on polling day was 56.4% voting to remain and 43.6% in favour of independence, with turnout reported at roughly 80% of the 174,995 people eligible on the special electoral list.

The vote was held under the terms of the Nouméa Accord (1998), an agreement that transferred certain powers from France to New Caledonia and allowed for a process of gradual political evolution. The Accord provided for up to three referendums on independence between 2018 and 2022. The question in 2018 was the first of these, and it was the result of decades of tension between pro‑independence groups, principally representing the indigenous Kanak population, and those favouring continued ties to France.

Electoral roll and controversy

Eligibility to vote in the referendum was restricted to a special electoral roll established by the Nouméa Accord. That roll included people with longstanding ties to the territory and excluded recent arrivals; this restriction was controversial and became a central political issue. Supporters of independence argued the roll still disadvantaged Kanak representation, while opponents said it protected the expressed terms of the Accord.

Beyond the narrow yes/no outcome, the referendum highlighted social and economic fault lines. New Caledonia’s economy, heavily dependent on nickel mining, and its multicultural demography were central to arguments on both sides about viability, citizenship, and future governance.

A second ballot was organised in 2020, which again rejected independence by a narrower margin, and a third vote took place later under the same framework. The sequence of referendums and their consequences has led to ongoing political negotiations involving local leaders and the French state aimed at managing transitions in autonomy, economic development, and social reconciliation.

  • Date: 4 November 2018
  • Main question: Independence from France or remaining part of it
  • Result: 56.4% against independence (43.6% for)
  • Turnout and electorate: ~80% of the special roll of 174,995
  • Further votes: follow‑up referendums were held in New Caledonia in 2020 and later