NEW CALEDONIA TO STAY PART OF FRANCE

A majority of voters in New Caledonia, an archipelago in in the South Pacific, chose to remain part of France instead of backing independence Sunday, leading French President Emmanuel Macron to call for dialogue, as the referendum marked a crucial step in a three-decade long decolonization effort.

In a televised address from Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed “an expression of confidence in the Republic with a deep feeling of gratitude and modesty.”

Macron promised pro-independence supporters “this is with you, all together, that we will build New Caledonia tomorrow.”

He praised the “success” of the vote and called on New Caledonia residents to “look to the future.”

“We are facing our history in New Caledonia, a colonial history,” Macron said. “And we are trying to overcome it so that we are not trapped in it. We know that today we are at a crossroads,” he said.

The overseas ministry said results show 53.3 percent of the voters who participated in the referendum on Sunday have chosen to maintain ties with France, while 46.7 percent supported independence.

The vote has been marked by a very high turnout. More than 85 percent of voters had cast their ballots one hour before poll stations closed, according to the overseas ministry. Some polling stations in Noumea, the capital, closed an hour late because people were still waiting in long lines to vote at the planned closing time.