2 Jul 2019

New Caledonia still without vice-president

3:39 pm on 2 July 2019

New Caledonia's government has again failed to elect a vice-president.

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Photo: RNZ Pacific / Walter Zweifel

The 11 ministers met to choose between the two pro-independence candidates Gilbert Tyuienon and Jean-Pierre Djaiwe.

They received three and two votes respectively, with the six anti-independence members abstaining.

Under the power-sharing arrangement of the collegial government, the vice-presidency is to go to a pro-independence minister after last week's election of the anti-independence politician Thierry Santa as president.

The government is considered operational seven days after the election of the president.

Mr Santa was elected with the vote of the care-taker president Philippe Germain who earlier abstained amid differences within the anti-independence camp.

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