France Begins Evacuation of Tourists Amid New Caledonia Riots

The French Government evacuated domestic tourists to the overseas territory of New Caledonia after several days of unrest in the Pacific archipelago for an initiative that sought to extend voting rights to French residents.

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According to the Gallic authorities, more than 500 have moved today to Australia and New Zealand in military aircraft, as a stopover before taking commercial flights to France.

The crisis in New Caledonia triggered a state of emergency in the territory since last week, due to the wave of unrest, and under these conditions, Australia and New Zealand began evacuating their residents early in the week. In addition, the airport of Nouméa (capital) remains closed to all commercial flights.

The outbreak of the protests had its center in the proposed electoral reforms that would give the French citizens the right to vote in the provincial elections after ten years of residence in the territory.

The indigenous Kanak population of New Caledonia accused Paris of continuing the measure without taking into account the views of the majority of the inhabitants.

Emmanuel Macron, French president visited the archipielago this Thursday. There, the president announced the entry into pause of the reform to calm the situation and resume political talks later.

"Violence should never be allowed to take root," Macron said during a televised interview with local journalists at the end of his visit Friday. "What I want is a message of order and return to calm as this is not the Wild West," he said.