Fiji, April 9 -- Concerns over voter access and representation have emerged following municipal elections in New Caledonia, as second-round results confirmed a widening political divide between urban and rural communities.

Roselyne Makalu, President of Women Weaving Peace KNC, said the elections exposed structural barriers that may have limited participation among vulnerable groups, particularly Indigenous Kanak and working-class communities.

"The official results confirm a deeply fractured New Caledonia," she said, citing stark contrasts in turnout between urban centres and rural areas.

The two-round elections, held on 15 March and 22 March, saw pro-France parties consolidate their dominance in the capital, Noumea, where incumbent may...