Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

New Caledonia government again at risk of demise

Posted at 20:53 on 24 October, 2012 UTC

The Caledonia Together Party has signalled it is poised to bring down the collegial government led by Harold Martin - the fourth time in less than two years.

It says a new executive has to be put in place to stop the territory from sliding deeper into crisis.

The Party’s leader Philippe Gomes says its success in the French legislative election in June has not been reflected in any New Caledonian institution and the goverment’s policies of late have been disastrous.

Last year, Caledonia Together brought down the administration three times within a month until Paris urgently changed the electoral law to stop the serial resignations by giving any new government an 18-month grace period.

This means that in early November, a single minister’s resignation will again be enough to bring down the collegial government.

Caledonia Together is now exploring how it can realign the parties to form a new government."