Caroline Baudry, edited by Solène Delinger 12:20, December 06, 2021
New Caledonia is once again voting for its independence.
On Sunday, 185,000 Caledonian voters are called to the polls for the third and last referendum on the independence of the French archipelago.
A ballot placed under very close surveillance.
Paris has in fact dispatched more than 2,000 police and gendarmes to ensure the safety of New Caledonians.
REPORTING
Should New Caledonia remain French or, on the contrary, say yes to its independence?
On Sunday, 185,000 Caledonian voters are called to the polls for the third and last referendum on the independence of the French archipelago.
A historic electoral event which justifies the implementation of exceptional security measures.
Paris in fact dispatched more than 2,000 police and gendarmes to the territory to avoid disturbances to public order.
Europe 1 went there.
Allow Caledonians to vote
Two trucks loaded with gendarmes in the city center are stationed in front of the entrance to the local government.
In the city center, green vehicles circulate.
1,400 gendarmes, 250 soldiers and the hundred or so police officers show themselves during control operations.
They received 250 vehicles from Toulon disembarked after three months at sea and, these two Puma helicopters came out of the holds of a cargo plane placed on the tarmac of the airport.
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A deployment at the height of the electoral meeting, according to General Marietti, in charge of the device, questioned on his arrival by our colleagues from RRB. "The State must prepare for all situations. We are able to react to anything. immediately on the slightest public order incident and we want to be visible, dissuasive, reactive, but above all reassuring. On D-day, the goal is very simple: to allow all voters to put their ballot in the ballot box without under no pressure ".
As a reminder, during the previous referendum, a year ago, citizens and politicians denounced all the way to the Council of State gatherings deemed intimidating in front of certain polling stations.