Alcide Ponga Elected President of New Caledonia After Political Turmoil

The first Kanak leader of the non-independence party faces challenges of economic recovery and fractured governance following deadly riots in 2024.

Alcide Ponga, a Kanak politician and leader of the Rassemblement-Les Républicains party, was elected president of New Caledonia on January 8, 2025, after the collapse of the previous government.
Ponga, 49, is the first Kanak to lead the non-independence party and has a background in the mining industry, a key but struggling sector in the archipelago's economy.
His election follows months of political instability, including the resignation of the pro-independence government led by Louis Mapou after criticism of its handling of Paris's reconstruction aid conditions.
The territory is recovering from violent riots in 2024, triggered by a controversial electoral reform proposal from Paris, which led to 14 deaths, thousands of arrests, and significant economic damage.
Ponga's immediate priorities include rebuilding trust among divided political factions and negotiating terms for economic recovery while addressing calls for greater autonomy from France.