The Union calédonienne ( CPU ) is a French Political party of New Caledonia founded in 1953 and which militates today for the independence of this territory while being a component of the Front of national Release kanak and Socialist (FLNKS).

History

Formation and first successes

The Union calédonienne ( CPU ) is a French Political party of New Caledonia founded in February 1953 by the deputy Maurice Lenormand for the territorial elections which must be held this month there.

With the slogan “Two colors, only one people” the party then preach the agreement between the communities white and mélanésienne and does not assert the independence of the territory.

As of the elections at the General advice of 1953 the party gains the elections with 15 seats out of 25 including 9 autochtones (it gains the totality of the seats in three districts out of five).

At the time of the senatorial ones, in 1955, it is Armand Ohlen of the CPU which precedes Henri Lafleur and in January 1956 Maurice Lenormand very largely is re-elected appointed in front of Georges Chatenay.

In 1956, at the time of the first congress of the party which proceeds the 12 and May 13rd 1956 on the property of the senator Armand Ohlen with the Valley of the Colonists with Noumea, the CPU obtains fixed statutes and Rock Pidjot becomes president of the Union.

Domination of the “party to the green cross”

At the time of the first elections to the territorial Assemblée of New Caledonia, assembled with the increased capacity born from the Loi-cadre Removes iron, the October 6th 1957, the CPU obtains 18 of the 30 seats to be provided. Michel Kauma becomes president of this assembly and Maurice Lenormand form the government of the archipelago, but must resign in February 1959 following its re-election like deputy.

The come to power in Metropolis of the de Gaulle general marks a turning in the statutory history: indeed, the government gaullist operates a policy of centralization and sleep and already the CPU divides between partisans and opponents of this one. Maurice Lenormand and the majority of the Union chooses autonomy but some, thus following Michel Kauma, then with the head of the government council of the Territory since 1959, support the policy gaullist and thus leave the CPU. Law Jacquinot of December 1963, which withdraws practically any capacity at the government council (by removing the function of vice-president in particular, which corresponded to an head of government) and reinforces the capacities of the representative of the State, then the Billotte laws of 1969, practically withdrawing any authority at the government council and the local assembly as regards nickel policy, are perceived like treasons of the French State and particularly of the de Gaulle general, thus reinforcing the position separatist of the CPU which passes through at the same time a true crisis.

First difficulties

Cleavage between Europeans and Kanaks is likely to make burst the union. On a side the tendencies less the separatists feel that the union, disappointed, evolves to a claim of independence increasingly radical, a dissidence is created: the liberal Movement calédonien . On another side Yann Céléné Uregeï founds the multiracial Union of New Caledonia (UMNC). This one is constant outside the Union by the red Foulards , founded by Nidoïsh Naisseline, the first movement to assert independence openly. Moreover, legal déboirs of Maurice Lenormand (condemned 1 year from suspended sentence and deposed of its mandate of deputy in 1964 for " voluntary omission to prevent a crime" in the business related to the dynamiting in 1963 of the buildings of the newspaper of the CPU) and its authority increasingly called in question causes the departure of the movement of much of its heavy trucks.

This disintegration of the union leads it to the defeat at the time of territorial elections of 1972 with 12 seats out of 35. The union calédonienne remains then durably in the opposition, while remaining in voice the first party of the territory.

The standpoint for independence

The November 22nd 1977 the joined together congress with Bourail sees to be opposed the partisans (carried out by Jean-Pierre Aïfa) and the adversaries of independence. A kanak new generation is made hear among which Jean-Marie Tjibaou and the line of the independence, taken again by Maurice Lenormand (which becomes again during a time vice-president of the council of the government of November 1978 at July 1979) and Rock Pidjot (always president of the CPU then), is adopted. Jean-Marie Tjibaou then becomes vice-president of the party and Pierre Declercq, one of the European independence leaders, succeeds Jean-Pierre Aïfa (which made discidence to create its own movement: the Federation for a new business calédonienne which fights against independence but also for a certain autonomy) as general secretary. In 1979, the CPU takes part in the creation of the independence Front which transforms into 1984 in Front of national release kanak and socialist whose Jean-Marie Tjibaou is elected president.

During the Events of the Eighties

The CPU constitutes the greatest part of the FLNKS but also its most moderate component, calling as much as possible with the calm one, even if some of its members adopt also rather radical positions (Eloi Machoro, which succeeded in 1981 Pierre Declercq as general secretary of the CPU following his assassination, will become famous by breaking a ballot box of vote with a traditional hâche ostensoire kanak at the time of the territorial elections of 1984 that the freedom fighters had invited to boycott, it will be done itself assassinated by anti-freedom fighters in 1985). At all events, the CPU actively supports the Accords of Matignon signed between partisans and opponents of independence in 1988 with Paris under the aegis of the Prime Minister Michel Rocard.

Moderation with the respect with the letter of the Agreements of Noumea

In 2001, moderate the Rock'n'roll Wamytan, president of the CPU since 1999, is beaten by Pascal Naouna which chooses as for him for a more radical position. Of the independence movement most moderate the CPU acquires thus a position much harder, refusing any consensus with the anti-freedom fighters while calling with a respect with the lette Accords of Noumea. Thus, the CPU broke with the remainder of the FLNKS which, carried out by the Palika (however up to now the most radical component) and its leader Paul Néaoutyine, invites as for him to dialog with RPCR and the State. Thus, the CPU called with boyckotter in 2003 the visit of the president of the Republic Jacques Chirac whereas the Palika took part in the official demonstrations and presented in 2004 in each province of the lists distinct from those from the FLNKS and formed its own group with the Congress. As regards future institutional, CPU remains thus party independence having chosen like solution for “independence association” with France - following the example what is done in the Commonwealth or in island states of the zone which remain “freely associated” with the the United States like the Marshall Islands - and the possibility of founding a dual nationality for those which wish it. The CPU if not strongly militated for the freezing of the electorate, from now on entered the constitution after being voted by the French Parliament in Congress in February 2007.

History of the presidents

Elected officials

Members of Parliament

For a long time, the single deputy of the Territory came from the rows of the CPU: Maurice Lenormand of 1951 with 1964 then Rock'n'roll Pidjot of 1964 with 1986. It also gave an Adviser of the Republic, or senator, of 1955 with 1959: Armand Ohlen. Since then, the Union did not have any more of member of Parliament, and invited to boycott the legislative elections of 2002. In 2001, Marie-Claude Tjibaou, widow of Jean-Marie Tjibaou, member of the CPU, was the independence candidate for the senatorial elections but it was beaten by the outgoing senator RPCR Simon Loueckhote. In 2007, the freedom fighters deposited common candidatures and Charles Pidjot of the CPU was thus candidate in the 2 {{E}} district, but it was beaten with the second round by the outgoing deputy UMP Pierre Frogier.

Government

The CPU disposaut of only one member on 11 within the second government Thémereau, namely Gerald Cortot, in charge of the terrestrial and maritime transport sector, Infrastructures and Energy, also in charge of the Diagram of Installation and Development of New Caledonia. It was also the case in the first government Martin which, elected official and resigner the same day (the August 6th 2007), fell immédiatememnt following the common resignation from the independence members who disputed the vote.

In current the second government Martin, the Union calédonienne has two members:

  • Gerald Cortot: member of the Government, in charge of the sector of the Surface transports and maritime, of the Energy, the Road safety and the public Infrastructures, also in charge of the Diagram of Installation and Development of New Caledonia
  • Pierre Ngaiohni: member of the Government, in charge of the sector of the Professional training and the Air transport domesticates

Congress

Group CPU laid out following the provincial elections of 2004 of 7 members (4 coming from Northern Province and 3 of the Îles Honesty) on 54, to what in 2005 the single elected official of the FCCI was added which until now sat within a common group with the elected officials anti-freedom fighters of the Gathering-UMP. Since 2001 the elected officials of the Union calédonienne set up a group distinct from that of the other elected officials of the FLNKS (primarily Palika) who them are brought together within the PLAIN group - FLNKS (9 members). Group CPU is chaired by Bernard Lepeu, which is also 5th vice-president of the Congrès and sits within the standing committee.

Within the office, in addition to Bernard Lepeu as vice-president, the CPU is also represented by Jacqueline Deteix which occupies one of the two posts of secretary. The vice-president of the Standing committee, Caroline Machoro, is also resulting from her rows. Lastly, the CPU occupies the presidency only of two commission interior: that of the Agriculture and the Fishing (Cézelin Tchoeaoua) and that of the Legislation and the Regulation relating to the usual Businesses which Co-is chaired by an elected official Palika (Jean-Pierre Djaïwé) and an elected official CPU (Pascal Naouna).

Provinces

Southern province

The CPU does not have an elected official in Southern Province, its list, carried out by Charles Pidjot, not succeeding in reaching the bar of the 5% in 2004. Its dominant figures in the province are however Charles Pidjot, Gerald Cortot and Nicole Waïa which was president of group CPU to the Congrès of 2001 with 2004. Other historical figures of the party result from this province, of which in particular Rock Wamytan, François Burck or Maurice Lenormand.

Northern province

List CPU, carried out by Pascal Naouna, arrives in second position with 27,13% of the votes and 7 seats out of 22. It is in this province that opposition between the two main components of FLNKS, the Palika (whose president Paul Néaoutyine is also the president of the assembly of Province) and the CPU, is felt more.

Province of the Islands Honesty

List CPU, carried out by Néko Hnepeune, carried the poll with 22,54% of the votes and 4 seats out of 14. Néko Hnepeune was elected president of the Province of the Islands.

Communes

See with the article Face of national kanak and socialist release.

Position for the electoral deadlines of 2007

Presidential

The Union calédonienne always supported since 1981 the candidate invested by the Socialist party. Thus, at the time of its management committee joined together with Pouébo the March 3rd 2007, the party decided to support Ségolène Royal.

Legislative

In 2002, the Union calédonienne had not introduced any candidate and had called with the abstention (thus refusing to support the candidates of the Palika presented in the two districts). The party, after a long suspense, finally decided to be present at legislative of 2007 while supporting in more one unique candidacy of FLNKS: the CPU already proposed as solution that is presented in a district a candidate of the Union calédonienne with a substitute Palika, and the reverse in the other district, while estimating that it not candidature of Paul Néaoutyine, the leader of the Palika, would be a mark of good will on behalf of the rival independence movement.

At all events, the CPU calls so that each of the two movements chooses as a preliminary candidates for the two districts and that one discusses a final arrangement then. Within the Union calédonienne, no candidate was still designated but of the names circulate: Néko Hnepeune (president of the Parliament of the Îles Honesty, mayor of Lifou and 1st vice-president of the Union calédonienne) and Octave Togna (managing director of the Development agency of the Culture Kanak (ADCK) which manages in particular the Arts center Tjibaou and founder of the radio freedom fighter Radio Djiido) for the 1 {{Re}} district, Charles Pidjot (former member of the Congress and the Parliament of the Southern Province of 1999 to 2004 and chief candidate CPU in the Southern Province in 2004, former vice-president of the party), Marie-Claude Tjibaou (widowed former independence leader Jean-Marie Tjibaou, economic and social adviser representing the New Caledonia since 1999, president of the board of directors of the ADCK and unfortunate candidate to the senatorial election of 2001 vis-a-vis Simon Loueckhote) and Gilbert Tyuienon (mayor of Canala) for the 2 {{E}} district.

Finally, at the time of the extraordinary congress of FLNKS of May 1st with Koné, the four components of the independence face agree on common candidatures: Charles Washetine, of the Palika, will be in the 1 {{Re}} district and Charles Pidjot, of the Union calédonienne, in the second. These two candidates are maintained to the seconds turns but, already outdistanced by their adversaries anti-freedom fighters of the Gathering-UMP (15,78% for Charles Washetine and 30,38% for Charles Pidjot against respectively 30,89% with Gaël Yanno and 34,53% with Pierre Frogier), they are rather largely beaten with the second turn (30,79% for Washetine and 45,87% with Pidjot).

External bond

http://www.union-caledonienne.org/

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