French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour welcomed on Sunday the decision of New Caledonians to remain a part of France, which was expressed by the majority of voters at an independence referendum that took place earlier in the day.
"Dear New Caledonians, your will is irrevocable. You are the French and will remain them! I want the times of transition statuses to end. The electorate will thaw, and we will not plan any other independence referendums. Long live France!" Zemmour tweeted.
The referendum was the third vote on independence from Metropolitan France in the Pacific archipelago. The voting showed a record low turnout due to the boycott declared by those supporting independence.
Earlier in the day, the French 1ere broadcaster reported on provisional voting results, demonstrating that at least 96.2 per cent of voters spoke against the secession.
The first referendum on independence was held in November 2018, and 56.7 per cent voted for remaining a French territory. The second vote took place in October 2020, when 53.3 per cent of citizens said they would not like to separate from France.
New Caledonia became a part of France in 1853. Now, the area has a special administrative status and population of 2,70,000. (ANI/Sputnik)
( With inputs from ANI )
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