Overview

• The Bougival accord establishes a sui generis État de la Nouvelle-Calédonie within the French Republic, grants a distinct Caledonian nationality and reallocates competences between local and national authorities.
• Signed on 12 July after ten days of closed-door talks led by Overseas Minister Manuel Valls, the deal outlines a phased reopening of the electoral roll frozen since 2007/2009.
• Next steps include validation by Caledonian political structures this summer and a constitutional amendment by the French Parliament before New Caledonians vote in February 2026.
• Manuel Valls warned that the greatest challenge lies in convincing both local leaders and the wider population of the agreement’s merits.
• Activists in pro-independence and loyalist camps have criticized the pact as either a betrayal or a disguised form of association rather than genuine sovereignty.