1972 New Caledonian legislative election

Legislative elections were held in New Caledonia on 10 September 1972. They had originally been scheduled for July, but were postponed by the French government.Caledonian politball: Hearing up for final Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1972, p30 Anti-autonomist parties won 18 of the 35 seats, with the previously dominant Caledonian Union reduced from the 22 seats it won in 1967 to only 12.Caledonians say a careful 'no' to the autonomists Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1972, p27 Background Prior to the elections, the Caledonian Union (UC) held 12 seats in the 35-member Territorial Assembly, the Caledonian Liberal Movement (a breakaway from the UC) seven, the Democratic Union five, the Multi-Racial Union four, the Democratic and Social Agreement four, the Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists one, the Civic Union one and the Caledonian Popular Movement one. Campaign Nine parties contested the elections, with eleven lists running in the South constituency covering Nouméa.Governor dons sporting gear for New Caledonia's election game Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1972, p17 Results Pro-autonomy parties (the Caledonian Union and Multi-Racial Union) won seventeen seats, with anti-autonomist parties (the Democratic and Social Agreement, the Caledonian Liberal Movement, Democratic Union, Caledonian Popular Movement and AICLO) winning eighteen. Caledonian Union 12 –10 Democratic and Social Agreement 6 New Caledonian Liberal Movement 5 New Multi-Racial Union 5 New Democratic Union 4 New Caledonian Popular Movement 2 New Association of French Caledonians and Loyalists 1 New Civic Union 0 New 0 46349 Le Borgne,Jean Le Borgne (2005) Nouvelle-Calédonie, 1945-1968: la confiance trahie, Harmattan, p536 Pacific Islands Monthly Elected members ConstituencyMemberPartyNotesEast (7 seats)Eugène AwayaCaledonian UnionJean-Marie ChaneneCaledonian UnionRoland CaronCaledonian UnionRe-electedMarcel DuboisDemocratic UnionAndré GopeaMulti-Racial UnionSimilien NahietCaledonian UnionRe-electedKiolet Néa GaletAssociation of French Caledonians and LoyalistsRe-elected (previously Entente)Islands (5 seats)Jérôme BanukoneCaledonian UnionJean CabaCaledonian UnionRe-electedPierre IssamatroMulti-Racial UnionWilly NémiaMulti-Racial UnionYann Céléné UregeïMulti-Racial UnionRe-elected (previously UC)South (16 seats)Alain BernutCaledonian Popular MovementRe-elected (previously NC)Edmond CaillardDemocratic and Social AgreementGeorges ChatenayDemocratic UnionRe-elected (previously Entente)Lionel CherrierDemocratic and Social AgreementClaude FournierCaledonian Popular MovementMax FrouinCaledonian Liberal MovementRe-elected (previously UC)Fredy GosseCaledonian Liberal MovementPaul GriscelliCaledonian UnionRe-electedMichel KaumaDemocratic and Social AgreementJacques LafleurDemocratic and Social AgreementRe-electedRoger LaroqueDemocratic and Social AgreementMaurice LenormandCaledonian UnionJean LèquesCaledonian Liberal MovementRe-elected (previously UC)Claude ParazolsCaledonian Liberal MovementRe-elected (previously Entente)Rock PidjotCaledonian UnionRe-electedDick UkeiwéDemocratic UnionWest (7 seats)Jean-Pierre AïfaCaledonian UnionRe-elected (previously in South)René HéninDemocratic UnionRe-elected (previously Entente in South)Georges NagleCaledonian Liberal MovementRe-elected (previously UC)Paul NapoareaCaledonian UnionRe-electedEdmond NékiriaMulti-Racial UnionGabriel PaïtaCaledonian UnionRe-electedRoger PêneDemocratic and Social AgreementRe-electedSource: Congress Aftermath Although anti-autonomist parties won a one-seat majority, by early 1973 autonomist parties held 20 of the 35 seats following the defection of three members, including Fredy Gosse.The game is anything but cricket in New Caledonia Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1973, p26 Georges Chatenay resigned from the Assembly in March 1974 and was replaced by Joseph Tidjine.A 'deceived' Chatenay bows out of Caledonian politics Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1974, p10 Gosse resigned in May 1974 and was replaced by Evenor de Greslan.Another Caledonian MP resigns Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1974, p3 References New Caledonia Category:Elections in New Caledonia Category:1972 in New Caledonia New Caledonia Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results