Gomes takes over the leadership

Nic Maclellan

Philippe Gomes only created his Calédonie Ensemble Party in 2008. Today, he’s the President of New Caledonia.
In the aftermath of New Caledonia’s elections on May 10, a new government has been chosen. Following disputes and re-alignment in both the pro- and anti-independence camps, there has been a change of leadership with Gomes replacing Harold Martin as President of the Government of New Caledonia, and Union Calédonienne’s Pierre Ngaiohni replacing long-serving independence leader, Dewe Gorode, as Vice -President.
With no two parties winning a clear majority in the elections for New Caledonia’s three provincial assemblies and national Congress, the leadership of key institutions was negotiated behind closed doors by party leaders.

Gomes consolidates power
The three major anti-independence parties represented in the Congress—Rassemblement UMP (RUMP), Calédonie Ensemble (CE) and Avenir Ensemble (AE)—negotiated a “republican pact” amongst the pro-French forces to divide up key positions.
The big loser was the Avenir Party, which had been the dominant force in New Caledonia’s last government from 2004 to 2009. After a significant win in the 2004 elections, AE leaders Marie-Noelle Themereau and Harold Martin served as President of New Caledonia over the past five years. AE leaders like Didier Leroux held key ministries in the government, while Gomes controlled the Southern Province, which includes the capital Noumea, major economic infrastructure and the bulk of the non-indigenous population.
But following last year’s bitter split in the party—with Gomes taking a majority of AE’s elected members into his new group Calédonie Ensemble—the Avenir Party has lost its influence in the newly appointed government.
After striking an agreement, the largest conservative parties RUMP and CE took the more powerful positions: RUMP’s Pierre Frogier as President of the Southern Provincial Assembly and Gomes as President of the government.
New Caledonia’s outgoing president Harold Martin won the consolation prize as speaker of the national congress.
Portfolios have now been divided amongst the 11 ministers who make up the multi-party government (three ministers from CE, three from RUMP, three from Union Calédonienne, one from UNI/Palika and one from AE/LMD).
Avenir’s only minister in the new lineup is long-time conservative politician Simon Loueckhote, who serves as New Caledonia’s Senator in Paris.
The great survivor of local politics, the veteran Kanak politician has bounced from party to party to maintain his role. Originally a key member of the anti-independence Rassemblement UMP, he left with Jacques Lafleur to found the RPC Party. He then started his own Movement for Diversity (LMD) after a falling out with Lafleur. During the election campaign, the long-time anti-independence leader sourly noted: “Simon Loueckhote would never have become senator without me.”
Rather than contest these elections in his own home province in the Loyalty Islands, Loueckhote used his senatorial rank to run in the South. After failing to negotiate a deal with Gomes, Loueckhote’s LMD then contested the election in alliance with the Avenir Party—gaining AE’s only post in the new government!

Disunity in the FLNKS
In the May elections, pro-independence parties increased their representation in the Congress from 19 to 23 seats. The two major forces were Union Calédonienne/FLNKS and UNI /FLNKS, while the newly formed Labour Party under Louis Kotra Uregei won three seats, and one seat went to Nidoish Naisseline, the High Chief of Mare who has always won his constituency in the Loyalty Islands.
But post-election disunity disrupted this advance by the pro-independence forces. Instead of uniting as one FLNKS group in the congress, tensions between Union Calédonienne (UC) and the Party of Kanak Liberation (Palika) saw each deciding to form its own group within the new congress.
Rather than align with one or the other of the competing FLNKS members, the Labour Party refused to give its support to either camp (a significantdecision—the loss of their three votes means there are only four instead of five pro-independence ministers in the new government, which are allocated according to the strength of party groups in the congress).
In the provinces, the status quo remains with Palika’s Paul Neaoutyine as President of the Northern Province and UC’s Neko Hnepeune retaining his presidency in the Loyalty Islands. But the same inter-party tensions were evident in choosing the Vice-President of the new Gomes government.
Palika’s Dewe Gorode has served in that position under the last three presidents, but with three UC ministers in the new government, Union Calédonienne argued it should take the post.
The allocation of ministries was delayed for a week while negotiations continued. While retaining her responsibility for Culture, Citizenship and Women’s Affairs, Gorode eventually ceded the post of Vice-President to UC’s Ngaiohni, who will also be responsible for customary affairs and relations with the Kanak customary senate.
Gomes has consolidated his influence at a crucial time—New Caledonia’s new Congress will set the path for the territory’s future political status. But the Noumea Accord’s vision of “collegiality” and compromise in a coalition government will continue to be tested in the months to come.

Who’s Philippe Gomes 1958:    Born to a French family in Algeria Migrated to New Caledonia aged 15 1989 – 2008: Mayor of La Foa 2001:    Left Rassemblement Party. 2004:    Helped to found Avenir Ensemble 2008:    Split to form Calédonie Ensemble 2009:    President of New Caledonia