Editorial staff. The results of the presidential elections in the overseas departments and municipalities are much more than a warning, an alarm. Aside from those in the Pacific, these communities placed Marine Le Pen well ahead of Emmanuel Macron in the second round. At the end of the first, Jean-Luc Mélenchon emerged victorious.
These votes demonstrate the failure of the current government to outline a perspective that does justice to the economic, social, environmental and institutional challenges and issues faced by the overseas territories and their peoples. They show the difficulty of the state, not just the executive, to comprehend the complexity of the overseas territories, including their dimension of memory.
Despite his undeniable commitment, Emmanuel Macron will not have been able nor will he be able to restore the relationship of trust without which any political project is doomed to failure. Despite pleading for the “reconciliation of memories” and in April 2018 supporting the creation of a national memorial to the victims of slavery, the site remained at the project stage. It was even blocked by disagreements within the committee responsible for implementation.
The gulf between the overseas territories and the metropolis is deep and old. The outgoing President cannot bear sole responsibility for this, but he probably did not know or want to break through the barriers that perpetuate the structural economic and social inequalities in these territories. Indeed, the priority is to break with an economic system that increases the incomes and dependence of overseas communities on state power.
Urgency, a daily reality
This relationship is becoming increasingly unhealthy. The state is increasingly being criticized for being heavily involved in solving economic, social and health emergencies. The intense tensions that have arisen during the Covid-19 crisis are glaring proof of this. For almost all of these areas, however, the state of emergency has become part of everyday life, even if they appear “privileged” compared to their regional neighbors.
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The challenge for the upcoming five-year term is to build a new relationship with the Overseas Territories. Apart from New Caledonia, where the Kanaks’ demand for independence remains strong, this is not the issue. What is important now is building a project that will allow these areas to achieve true autonomy. They have the necessary resources and are integrated into a regional environment that offers new sales opportunities. They are also at the forefront of climate change. France must break with a badly lived paternalistic relationship to its former “dependencies”. The time is ripe for responsible cooperation. Local political leaders must play their full part.
One of the priorities for the next five-year term will be to negotiate a pact with each community to define development, balance and social reform goals. The state must be strong in its commitment to the ends and the means, just as local political leaders must be fully accountable to their constituents. This requires breaking with the too often practiced discard game. The goal may seem frivolous, but in crisis situations, the most complex problems are often solved.