After attaching a poster of Ségolène Royal to the music pavilion in Nouméa's main square, Haé Pidra steps on to the platform, switches on his megaphone and launches into a diatribe about why New Caledonians should vote for the Socialist candidate in France's presidential election.

Mr Pidra is campaigning for Ms Royal in the big but sparsely populated Pacific island that is French but a 22-hour flight from Paris. And like almost every other aspect of the island's unusual mosaic of political parties and institutions, Mr Pidra adds a peculiar touch to the presidential campaign.