France hopes to restore calm in New Caledonia

France is aiming to regain full control of events in New Caledonia "in the coming hours," Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday (May 16). The announcement comes after a third night of deadly riots over a contested electoral reform that will let French residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years vote in provincial elections - a move some local leaders fear will dilute the indigenous Kanak vote.