Emmanuel Macron prepared “to go to a referendum at any time” on the contested reform of the electoral physique | EUROtoday

Emmanuel Macron says he is able to submit the contested reform of the electoral physique in New Caledonia to a nationwide referendum, significantly if native elected officers fail to agree amongst themselves on the topic, in an interview with Parisian and revealed on Saturday.

“I can go to the referendum at any time” on this reform already adopted by the Senate then the Assembly, argues the Head of State, recalling nonetheless that his preliminary need is for the Caledonian elected officers to agree on “a global agreement which would enrich the text already voted by Parliament”. The President of the Republic will announce his determination in ” a month “, in accordance with the day by day, date on which it can resolve whether or not the provincial elections can happen this yr.

After a vote in the identical phrases by each chambers, the president can in reality select, to ratify a constitutional reform, to convene a referendum or the Congress, that’s to say deputies and senators, in Versailles.

It is that this final possibility which was till then favored, whereas parliamentarians needed to ratify this unfreezing of the electoral physique earlier than the ” end of June “Emmanuel Macron indicated in mid-May.

“I assume a gesture of appeasement and openness but I will never make a decision to postpone or suspend under the pressure of violence”repeats Mr. Macron to Le Parisien.

The Head of State additionally reiterates his want that New Caledonian elected officers agree on “a global agreement which would enrich the text already voted by Parliament”. A problem, when the dialogue between independentists and non-independenceists appeared to be at a standstill at the least till his arrival. “They all gave me the commitment to resume the global discussion”continues Mr. Macron, estimating that“we cannot say that I did not do my best to give peace every chance”.

The Head of State had thus opened the door to a vote by Caledonians on a possible settlement born from discussions between native elected officers, with the hope of decreasing the strain which nonetheless remained excessive on Saturday. “Even if we come to the end of the violence, we will have to live together again. That’s the hardest part”admits the pinnacle of state.