[throwaway11460]

A referendum decision split practically in half is a weird situation though. Imagine being part of the group that doesn't get anything because it's 3 percentage points smaller than the group that gets everything.. The difference is 3000 votes, and 1500 votes were deemed invalid - I really wouldn't feel good about that if I was an independentist there.

[mytailorisrich]

You can't agree to the terms of referendums and then reject the result if you don't like it.

They don't "not get anything", by the way. Lots of subsidies from mainland France, lots of effort to recognise local customs, local assembly and moving to more autonomy from mainland France while keeping all the benefits of being in France.

Interestingly New Caledonia has been French for longer than Hawaii has been American. The difference is that European migration to Hawaii has been much, much higher.

[throwaway11460]

I agree completely, but consider that not everyone was part of that debate about the referendum and again - many probably were overpowered in voting and unhappy with it from the beginning. Again, it's really weird if the people who want your referendum to fail are the ones setting the rules or have significant influence there.

Anyways I don't mean to say it should be invalid, just that as a independentist person living there it must be really angering. If it was 70/30 it would be much easier to accept. France increasing their autonomy and recognition is a smart and sensible move given the situation.

[yorwba]

The 2020 referendum had a very obvious split where one side of the island voted to remain and the rest voted for independence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_New_Caledonian_independen...

Subsidies and the move to more local governance probably mostly benefit the area around the capital Nouméa, which is of course on the side that voted to remain.

I wonder how palatable a compromise would be where only part of the island becomes independent.

[mytailorisrich]

I think these are ethnic lines, with the "white" population mostly in the South.

Everyone on the islands benefit from the full French benefit and welfare system and on top of that there are plenty of subsidies, which are in part targeted at the indigenous population, which is actually benefits a lot from the mining industry (a lot in the North where there are the majority).

[throwaway11460]

Sometimes people just want to be independent regardless of all the autonomy, money and opportunities they are offered. It's not just about practical matters, it's about "being ourselves".