The 2022 French presidential election in New Caledonia took place on 10 and 24 April 2022, as part of the 2022 French presidential election. As part of Overseas France (being classed as a sui generis collectivity), residents of New Caledonia are eligible to vote in French elections (including presidential elections), though a significant portion of eligible voters choose not to vote for various reasons (such as support for independence and disconnection with French politics).

With a very sharp decline in voter turnout, incumbent President Emmanuel Macron of the centre to centre-right La République En Marche ! (LREM) won a plurality of the vote in the first round and a landslide majority in the second round over Marine Le Pen of the right-wing National Rally, with Macron carrying the territory by a margin of 22.06%.

Despite a nationwide swing towards Le Pen from Macron in the second round compared to Macron's landslide victory in 2017, Macron significantly increased his margin of victory in New Caledonia by 16.92%. Additionally, New Caledonia was Macron's strongest department or territory in the first round and his second-strongest overseas territory in the second round after Wallis and Futuna. Macron also won every single commune in the territory, flipping all of the nine communes that voted for Le Pen in 2017, including the capital city of Nouméa (which Le Pen very narrowly won in 2017).

The election saw a large swing on the centre-right away from The Republicans and towards LREM. This was the first election since 1981 that neither The Republicans nor one of its predecessors (the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and previously Rally for the Republic (RPR)) won the most first round votes in the territory. Furthermore, the traditional centre-left party, the Socialist Party, also performed poorly in the territory, with left-leaning voters flocking to La France Insoumise (LFI), a left-wing party, as well as LREM. The shift was inline with a broader nationwide collapse in the support for the two parties, considered France's two major parties until 2017.

Background As New Caledonia is a sui generis collectivity of France, residents of the archipelago are eligible to vote in both local and French elections. However, like many residents of other overseas territories, many New Caledonians choose not to vote in French elections, so voter turnout is lower than in Metropolitan France.

In the 2017 presidential election, The Republicans (whose nominee was former Prime Minister François Fillon) won the most votes in the territory, continuing a long historical pattern of voting for centre-right parties, though they were closely challenged by the right-wing National Rally (whose nominee was Marine Le Pen, the party's leader and president). Nationwide, however, the top two candidates were former Economics and Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron of the centrist to centre-right En Marche ! party and Le Pen of the National Rally, the latter party narrowly overtaking The Republicans nationwide to reach the runoff. The second round in New Caledonia saw Macron narrowly carry the territory with 52.57% of the vote. However, Le Pen won several communes, including the capital city of Nouméa (albeit with a narrow 50.90% of the vote).

For the 2022 election, Macron and Le Pen were again nominated for their respective parties, with En Marche ! renaming themselves to La République En Marche ! (LREM; French for "The Republic on the Move!"). The Republicans nominated former Budget Minister Valérie Pécresse, while the main left-wing opposition, La France Insoumise (LFI), nominated former Minister Delegate for National Education Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Other smaller parties also nominated candidates, such as the right-wing Reconquête party, who nominated party president Éric Zemmour. In the second round between Le Pen and Macron, Zemmour endorsed Le Pen, Pécresse endorsed Macron and Mélenchon urged voters to vote against Le Pen without directly endorsing Macron.

Results

First round

Results by commune Commune Province EmmanuelMacron MarineLe Pen Jean-LucMélenchon ÉricZemmour ValériePécresse NicolasDupont-Aignan YannickJadot JeanLassalle AnneHidalgo NathalieArthaud PhilippePoutou FabienRousselTurnout Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Belep 10 19.23% 3 5.77% 30 57.69% 2 3.85% 2 3.85% 0 0.00% 1 1.92% 0 0.00% 1 1.92% 1 1.92% 2 3.85% 0 0.00% 53 5.67% –17.73% Boulouparis 606 42.41% 359 25.12% 90 6.30% 153 10.71% 96 6.72% 63 4.41% 19 1.33% 13 0.91% 10 0.70% 8 0.56% 9 0.63% 3 0.21% 1,463 44.60% –14.93% Bourail 808 45.09% 404 22.54% 162 9.04% 136 7.59% 87 4.85% 81 4.52% 36 2.01% 27 1.51% 13 0.73% 9 0.50% 19 1.06% 10 0.56% 1,840 39.49% –15.87% Canala 47 19.92% 9 3.81% 106 44.92% 4 1.69% 20 8.47% 14 5.93% 11 4.66% 0 0.00% 5 2.12% 10 4.24% 4 1.69% 6 2.54% 264 7.36% –13.33% Dumbéa 3,729 40.02% 2,028 21.76% 1,067 11.45% 788 8.46% 663 7.12% 366 3.93% 212 2.28% 135 1.45% 119 1.28% 86 0.92% 76 0.82% 49 0.53% 9,691 42.61% –18.80% Farino 178 45.29% 110 27.99% 20 5.09% 26 6.62% 23 5.85% 15 3.82% 4 1.02% 9 2.29% 6 1.53% 0 0.00% 2 0.51% 0 0.00% 409 61.32% –9.41% Hienghène 45 13.27% 20 5.90% 210 61.95% 10 2.95% 12 3.54% 5 1.47% 9 2.65% 4 1.18% 7 2.06% 8 2.36% 5 1.47% 4 1.18% 354 14.14% –31.16% Houaïlou 92 29.68% 21 6.77% 140 45.16% 10 3.23% 12 3.87% 7 2.26% 3 0.97% 3 0.97% 9 2.90% 0 0.00% 11 3.55% 2 2.65% 344 9.18% –22.22% Isle of Pines 77 30.80% 16 6.40% 83 33.20% 2 0.80% 46 18.40% 5 2.00% 5 2.00% 0 0.00% 5 2.00% 8 3.20% 2 0.80% 1 0.40% 261 14.17% –10.38% Kaala-Gomen 88 33.08% 58 21.80% 60 22.56% 17 6.39% 20 7.52% 3 1.13% 1 0.38% 3 1.13% 6 2.26% 5 1.88% 5 1.88% 0 0.00% 278 15.86% –5.29% Koné 411 37.30% 215 19.51% 262 23.77% 46 4.17% 52 4.72% 20 1.81% 24 2.18% 16 1.45% 21 1.91% 12 1.09% 13 1.18% 10 0.91% 1,172 23.03% –18.93% Kouaoua 63 30.14% 12 5.74% 73 34.93% 7 3.35% 33 15.79% 5 2.39% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 6 2.87% 3 1.44% 6 2.87% 1 0.48% 221 18.54% –16.51% Koumac 347 38.47% 254 28.16% 98 10.86% 67 7.43% 55 6.10% 27 2.99% 18 2.00% 10 1.11% 9 1.00% 9 1.00% 4 0.44% 4 0.44% 931 29.84% –20.51% La Foa 653 46.21% 271 19.18% 167 11.82% 107 7.57% 91 6.44% 41 2.90% 26 1.84% 15 1.06% 10 0.71% 12 0.85% 15 1.06% 5 0.35% 1,465 42.65% –17.58% Le Mont-Dore 3,549 40.10% 1,825 20.62% 1,041 11.76% 774 8.75% 581 6.56% 362 4.09% 232 2.62% 143 1.62% 119 1.34% 95 1.07% 78 0.88% 51 0.58% 9,224 41.76% –15.65% Lifou 187 18.42% 41 4.04% 602 59.31% 29 2.86% 54 5.32% 19 1.87% 10 0.99% 8 0.79% 24 2.36% 17 1.67% 16 1.58% 8 0.79% 1,467 9.60% –4.54% Maré 66 19.64% 18 5.36% 183 54.46% 6 1.79% 23 6.85% 5 1.49% 7 2.08% 2 0.60% 14 4.17% 7 2.08% 4 1.19% 1 0.30% 342 4.93% –4.09% Moindou 144 46.75% 73 23.70% 45 14.61% 14 4.55% 11 3.57% 6 1.95% 3 0.97% 3 0.97% 4 1.30% 0 0.00% 3 0.97% 2 0.65% 343 41.78% –15.48% Nouméa 13,839 42.98% 5,635 17.50% 3,259 10.12% 3,540 10.99% 1,750 5.43% 1,295 4.02% 1,383 4.29% 519 1.61% 424 1.32% 175 0.54% 200 0.62% 183 0.57% 33,123 45.63% –17.32% Ouégoa 140 41.92% 62 18.56% 99 22.64% 17 5.09% 7 2.10% 2 0.60% 1 0.30% 0 0.00% 3 0.90% 2 0.60% 0 0.00% 1 0.30% 340 15.30% –10.27% Ouvéa 25 17.36% 2 1.39% 71 49.31% 26 18.06% 2 1.39% 4 2.78% 2 1.39% 0 0.00% 4 2.78% 2 1.39% 5 3.47% 1 0.69% 149 3.38% –6.60% Païta 2,398 41.08% 1,331 22.80% 606 10.38% 509 8.72% 343 5.88% 272 4.66% 92 1.58% 81 1.39% 66 1.13% 60 1.03% 44 0.75% 36 0.62% 6,080 38.35% –20.48% Poindimié 136 26.20% 47 9.06% 237 45.66% 17 3.28% 22 4.24% 13 2.50% 18 3.47% 5 0.96% 8 1.54% 4 0.77% 9 1.73% 3 0.58% 539 12.37% –19.84% Ponérihouen 50 23.26% 18 8.37% 117 54.42% 6 2.79% 7 3.26% 3 1.40% 1 0.47% 3 1.40% 4 1.86% 3 1.40% 2 0.93% 1 0.47% 230 8.54% –16.23% Pouébo 15 13.16% 4 3.51% 71 62.28% 5 4.39% 3 2.63% 0 0.00% 2 1.75% 2 1.75% 7 6.14% 0 0.00% 1 0.88% 4 3.51% 118 4.89% –15.19% Pouembout 241 38.81% 116 18.68% 116 18.68% 40 6.44% 30 4.83% 18 2.98% 21 3.38% 7 1.13% 18 2.90% 5 0.81% 5 0.81% 4 0.64% 635 35.01% –14.68% Poum 41 25.15% 13 7.98% 76 46.63% 7 4.29% 5 3.07% 1 0.61% 3 1.84% 6 3.68% 3 1.84% 2 1.23% 4 2.45% 2 1.23% 167 11.23% –7.04% Poya 257 42.41% 122 20.13% 112 18.48% 39 6.44% 36 5.94% 11 1.82% 2 0.33% 6 0.99% 10 1.65% 5 0.83% 1 0.17% 5 0.83% 628 24.67% –10.63% Sarraméa 25 26.60% 19 20.21% 40 42.55% 1 1.06% 2 2.13% 7 7.45% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 99 18.61% –13.18% Thio 70 35.90% 25 12.82% 61 31.28% 4 2.05% 9 4.62% 7 3.59% 3 1.54% 3 1.54% 6 3.08% 5 2.56% 2 1.03% 0 0.00% 205 9.22% –14.59% Touho 56 20.07% 31 11.11% 141 50.54% 10 3.58% 18 6.45% 5 1.79% 3 1.08% 1 0.36% 2 0.72% 6 2.15% 5 1.79% 1 0.36% 288 14.36% –13.56% Voh 136 25.81% 109 20.68% 208 39.47% 13 2.47% 17 3.23% 12 2.28% 7 1.33% 4 0.76% 13 2.47% 1 0.19% 6 1.14% 1 0.19% 545 22.27% –14.24% Yaté 32 24.81% 2 1.55% 58 44.96% 3 2.33% 12 9.30% 3 2.33% 2 1.55% 3 2.33% 7 5.43% 5 3.88% 2 1.55% 0 0.00% 136 7.56% –18.48% Total 28,561 40.51% 13,273 18.83% 9,711 13.77% 6,435 9.13% 4,144 5.88% 2,697 3.83% 2,161 3.07% 1,031 1.46% 963 1.37% 565 0.80% 560 0.79% 399 0.57% 72,966 33.35% Source: Ministry of Interior

Analysis For the first time since the party's foundation in 2016, La République En Marche ! (LREM) won a plurality of the vote in New Caledonia. The party's nominee, President Emmanuel Macron, received 40.51% of the vote, making New Caledonia one of three overseas territories that voted for him (the other two being the fellow Pacific Island territories of French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna). Additionally, Macron received a higher vote percentage in New Caledonia than in any other overseas territory, region and department in the entirety of France. Macron polled strongly in communes that opposed independence at the 2018 and 2020 referendums (mostly located in the South Province), centre-right strongholds that, in 2017, voted for either the centre-right Republicans (who nominated former Prime Minister François Fillon) or the right-wing National Rally (who nominated party leader and president Marine Le Pen, doing so again in this election). Macron also won the most votes in three communes that voted for independence, those being (in order of highest to lowest margin) Koné, Thio and Kaala-Gomen, as well as the split commune of Poya (where the northern half voted firmly for independence while the southern half almost universally voted against it, with the votes reported separately for Poya-Nord and Poya-Sud). Koné, Poya and Thio were three of the six communes in the North Province that voted for Macron in the first round, the other three being Ouégoa, Pouembout and Koumac. Additionally, Macron came second in every commune that he did not win except for Ouvéa in the Loyalty Islands, where right-wing Reconquête candidate Éric Zemmour narrowly outpolled him. Overall, the commune that Macron polled best in was Moindou in the South, where he received 46.75% of the vote.

Unlike in 2017, Le Pen failed to win the most votes in a single commune in 2022. Her support was mostly concentrated in rural communes and on the outskirts of Greater Nouméa, reflecting her party's conservative, French nationalist and predominantly Caldoche (White French) supporter base in the territory. However, she polled below average in Nouméa (the capital city) itself, which is a moderate and ethnically diverse city that tends to vote for The Republicans, but voted for Macron for the first time in 2022. Overall, the commune that Le Pen polled best in was Koumac in the North, despite being strongest in the South. Zemmour's Reconquête, regarded as further right of Le Pen's National Rally but targeting similar demographics and voters, took some of Le Pen's vote from 2017 and polled fairly well, coming fourth in New Caledonia. His best commune was Ouvéa in the Loyalty Islands, which was the only commune in which Macron did not come second or first, with Zemmour receiving an unusual 18.06% of the vote and just one more vote than Macron (26 to 25), allowing him to come second in the commune.