There is no doubt that neither Guiana nor Martinique want to change their relationship with France for the time being. This is what their citizens expressed on referendums held on Sunday. The question of the plebiscite was "Do you agree that Guiana [or Martinique] should become an overseas collectivity governed by article 74 of the Constitution and provide it with a particular framework to manage its own affairs within the Republic?". 70 % and 79% voted no in Guiana and Martinique.

The referendums were promoted by several political parties from both territories. Most local political leaders backed a yes-vote except for the pro-autonomy Martinican Progressive Party (PPM), which considers the French Constitution and article 74 as "obsolete". PPM believes that the "no" victory in Martinique is a "call to acknowledge the collective personality of Martinicans with a modern republican approach in which equal rights are not incompatible with the right to local initiative and the right to difference".

Media from France and the Antilles give a different account to the negative response. According to Libération, the "no" vote is due to the "citizens' feeling of distrust towards local elected politicians", who "haven't been capable of convincing voters about the advantages of a higher degree of autonomy".

Other accounts speak of a "vote of fear", in reference to reservations by electors to endorse eventual social and economic costs autonomy might cause.

These are not the last referendums to be held in Martinique and Guiana. On January 24 citizens are to hold a ballot on whether the territories should be restructured in a single collectivity -currently they consist of one region and one department.

Further information:

• Le Monde: Le non massif des Guyanais et Martiniquais à l'autonomie accrue
• FranceAntilles.fr: C'est un NON cinglant!
• FranceGuyane.fr: Une Guyane qui dit non
• MónDivers: Martinica i la Guaiana rebutgen de llarg incrementar la seva autonomia