On 5 May 1998 the Nouméa Accord was signed under the aegis of Lionel Jospin. It scheduled a twenty-year transition until a planned vote on the transfer of sovereignty in 2018. The territory will be fully autonomous, except for the fields of defence, security, the judiciary, and finance, which will be competencies of France. The accord was approved by 72% of voters in a referendum in New Caledonia held on 8 November.