Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995) head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Pierre FROGIER (since 31 July 1995) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: high commissioner appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 7, various left parties 7, various right parties 6 note : New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique or RPCR (conservative) [Jacques LAFLEUR, president] - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (also called South Province Party); Melanesian proindependence Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN]; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; National Front or FN (extreme right) [Guy GEORGE]; Caledonie Demain or CD (right-wing) [Bernard MARANT]; Union Oceanienne or UO (conservative) [Michel HEMA]; Front de Developpement des Iles Loyautes or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; Union Caledonian or UC [Francois BURCK, president]; A New Caledonia for All or UNCT [Didier LEROUX]
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ,
ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Flag description: three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions