PARIS (Pacnews) — France’s Senate has passed a controversial constitutional amendment bill that will eventually restrict voters eligibility in New Caledonia.
The bill was endorsed with the support of 296 of the 361 Senators in attendance in Paris. 13 voted against, including New Caledonia’s Sen. Simon Louekhote, who had earlier tabled an amendment against the bill.
The issue is a highly sensitive one in New Caledonia as it proposes to amend the French constitution in order to allow New Caledonia to restrict future votes to only citizens who have been residing there since 1998.
Nov. 8, 1998 was the date of a referendum held in New Caledonia which officially endorsed the Nouméa Accord.
The accord’s provisions pertaining to voter eligibility have been subject to ongoing controversy on its interpretations.
Out of an estimated population of some 230,000, this measure will affect about seven thousand French voters.
The measure only concerns local polls — for the three provincial councils — with effect from 2009, but not French national polls such as general and presidential elections.