Mayotte votes to become department
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A MASSIVE 95% VOTE “YES” IN A REFERENDUM ON THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLAND MAYOTTE BECOMING AN OVERSEAS DEPARTMENT OF FRANCE MAYOTTE, an island between the north-west of Madagascar and the east
African coast, will become France’s 101st department after a massive “yes” vote from the islanders. Ninety-five per cent of the islanders voted in a referendum at the weekend to become a
fully-fledged part of France as opposed to the current vague “overseas collectivity” status. In 2011 it will join the four existing départements d'outre-mer, Martinique, Guadeloupe,
French Guiana and Réunion. President Sarkozy said that some of the Mahorais people had been expressing a wish for this for 50 years. “This is a historic moment for Mayotte and the Mahorais.
It is a dream that several generations have had, that has become a reality on this March 29, 2009.”