Veylma Falaeo

Veylma Falaeo (born 24 August 1982) is a New Caledonian politician serving as the President of the Congress of New Caledonia since 29 August 2024. A member of the centrist Oceanian Awakening party, she is the first woman to be president of the congress.

Biography

Falaeo was born on 24 August 1982 in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia. Her family comes from Wallis and Futuna and her father was a Nouméa municipal councilman. She is the eldest of three children and grew up in the district of Rivière-Salée. She received the support of the anti-independence faction and was elected by one vote over Wamytan. Falaeo became the first woman elected to the position. Her election came in the midst of New Caledonia being in a major unrest between pro- and anti-independence groups, with Falaeo pledging to "pursue a middle-way approach to governance."