New Caledonia Voters Again Reject Full Independence From France

New Caledonia Voters Again Reject Full Independence From France
A French flag flutters in the sky over the Elysee Palace in Paris, on Dec. 10, 2018. Philippe Wojazer/Reuters
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PARIS—The South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia has voted against independence from France for the second time in as many years, a provisional final count showed.

A surprise “yes” vote on Oct. 4 would have deprived Paris of a foothold in a region where China is expanding its influence and dented the pride of a colonial power whose reach once spanned large parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.