In a surprise result Oscar Temaru's pro-independence progressive coalition formed Government with a one-seat majority in the 57 seat parliament, defeating the conservative party led by Gaston Flosse (see also List of political parties in French Polynesia). On October 8, 2004, the Gaston Flosse led opposition party succeeded in passing a censure motion against the Government. This provoked a political crisis, and controversy about whether the national government of France should use its exceptional power to call for new elections in a local government, in case of a grave political crisis.
10 June 2004: Former President, Gaston Flosse, and his conservative party, Tahoeraa Huiraatira, stayed away from the presidential (Le président de la Polynésie française) election, thus invalidating it, as a three-fifths quorum was required. He subsequently lost one defector to Oscar Temaru.
14 June 2004: Oscar Temaru elected President (Le président de la Polynésie française) (when a simple majority quorum was required), gaining 30 out of 57 votes.
5 October 2004: Two motions of censure tabled in the Assembly of French Polynesia (Assemblée de la Polynésie française). One from Gaston Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira party, and one from a new group, Te Ara, that includes three former members of Flosse’s party.[1]
9 October 2004: A motion of censure tabled by the conservative Tahoeraa Huiraatira, was adopted by 29 votes out of 57. The motion was proposed by opposition leader Gaston Flosse after Oscar Temaru ordered an audit of the previous government, which was led by Gaston Flosse. A second censure motion was not voted upon.[2][3]
12 October 2004:Tahoeraa Huiraatira, endorses its President, Gaston Flosse, as its official candidate for the Presidency in the French administered territory of French Polynesia (Le président de la Polynésie française).[4]
The President of the Assembly of French Polynesia (Le président de l'Assemblée de la Polynésie française), Antony Géros, from Oscar Temaru's coalition government, insisted that the parliament should meet on October 25 to elect a new government president (Le président de la Polynésie française). However, this date was against the advice of the French High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (Le Haut-Commissaire de la République en Polynésie française) Michel Mathieu who stated in written letters that the Assembly of French Polynesia (Assemblée de la Polynésie française) is required to vote on a new government president (Le président de la Polynésie française) within 15 days of the passage of a censure motion. The third Vice president of the Assembly of French Polynesia, Lana Tetuanui from Gaston Flosse’s party, called for the Assembly to sit on October 20, 2004.[5]
15 October 2004: Second request by Oscar Temaru for fresh elections denied by French minister for overseas Territories (la Ministre de l’Outre-mer) Brigitte Girardin.[6]
16 October 2004: More than 20,000 people march through Papeete on Tahiti, the main island of French Polynesia, in support of Oscar Temaru demanding new elections. Demonstrations also occur across French Polynesia.[7]
19 October 2004: French Polynesia’s caretaker government president, Oscar Temaru, has asked the Papeete administrative court (Le Tribunal administratif de la Polynésie française) to suspend, then cancel the October 9 adopted censure motion.[8]
20 October 2004: The Assembly of French Polynesia meets, but is unable to elect a new president (Le président de la Polynésie française) as there is not a required quorum in attendance due to a boycott of members supporting Oscar Temaru.[9]
22 October 2004: The Assembly of French Polynesia meets to elect President (Le président de la Polynésie française). Simple Majority required. Gaston Flosse was re-elected (Le président de la Polynésie française) by a one-vote majority and sworn in immediately during a parliamentary session boycotted by caretaker President Oscar Temaru. The parliament elected Flosse with 29 of 57 votes; the 28 pro-independence members boycotted the vote.
Antony Géros, the president of the Assembly of French Polynesia (Le président de l'Assemblée de la Polynésie française), did not participate in Friday’s session, and also described Flosse’s election Friday as an "election of the president of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira", which is a reference to Flosse’s pro-autonomy and anti-independence party. Geros said that Monday, October 25, is the only legitimate date for the parliament to elect a government president following the censure motion.[10]
23 October 2004: a Council of State (French national supreme administrative court) judge rejected two petitions from Tahiti to suspend the October 9 censure motion that toppled French Polynesia President (Le président de la Polynésie française) Oscar Temaru’s majority coalition government.[11]
26 October 2004: Tensions remain high in French Polynesia as the Leadership remains in doubt. The Legislative Assembly failed to sit on Monday, October 25. Assembly Speaker (Le président de l'Assemblée de la Polynésie française), Antony Géros, failed to turn up and chair the sitting he himself had scheduled. Gaston Flosse, who was elected President (Le président de la Polynésie française) by an assembly sitting on October 22, attempted to enter the Presidential palace on the weekend but was met by closed gates.[12]
15 November 2004: The Council of State, judging on a request from Gaston Flosse, cancels the May elections in the Windward Islands-circonscription (French: la circonscription des Îles du Vent)[13][14] for the reason that the neutrality of election officials was not observed in one of the communes, which, given the small difference of vote counts, may have altered the electoral results.
13 February 2005:By-elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia are held in the Windward Islands-circumscription (French: la circonscription des Îles du Vent)[15] The pro-independence-coalition wins 30 seats: Part of the pro-independence-coalition is the Union for the Democracy (Union pour la Démocratie) with Oscar Temaru's Tavini Huiraatira (People's servant) which wins 27 seats and the Alliance for a New Democracy (Alliance pour une Démocratie Nouvelle) which wins 3 seats. The Conservative coalition (consisting of one party only), the pro-autonomy, anti-independence Tahoera'a Huiraatira (Popular Rally), wins only 27 seats.
3 March 2005: Oscar Temaru elected President of French Polynesia (Le président de la Polynésie française) for the second time.
Oscar Manutahi Temaru is a French politician. He has been President of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and from 2011 to 2013 and mayor of Faa'a since 1983.
Gaston Flosse is a French politician who has been President of French Polynesia on five separate occasions. He is currently a member of the Senate of France and has been a French junior minister under Jacques Chirac. He received sentences for corruption, which are under appeal.
French Polynesia elects the Assembly of French Polynesia, the unicameral legislature on the territorial level. The Assembly of French Polynesia has 57 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. French Polynesia has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.
Tāvini Huiraʻatira, also known as Tāvini huiraʻatira nō te ao māʻohi – FLP, is a pro-independence political party in French Polynesia. Founded in 1977 as the Front de libération de la Polynésie (FLP), the party has been led since its inception by Oscar Temaru. From 2004 to 2013 it was part of the Union for Democracy (UPLD) coalition.
Amuitahiraʻa o te Nunaʻa Maohi, known as Tāhōʻēraʻa Huiraʻatira until January 2022, is a political party in French Polynesia. The party is conservative, pro-autonomy party and anti-independence. It was founded in 1977 by Gaston Flosse, who supports French Polynesia's current autonomy arrangement with France and who led it for over 20 years.
Gaston Tong Sang is a French Polynesian politician and is the former President of French Polynesia. He served terms as President of French Polynesia from November 2009 until April 2011, from April 2008 until February 2009 and from December 2006 until September 2007; he is currently the Mayor of Bora-Bora. He is of Chinese descent, and is a founding member of French Polynesia's pro-French Tahoera'a Huiraatira political party.
Early legislative elections were held in French Polynesia in early 2008. The first round was held on 27 January, with the second round on 10 February. The early elections was the first one to be conducted under a reformed electoral system.
Winfred Édouard Tereori Fritch is a French Polynesian politician who served as President of French Polynesia from 2014 to 2023. He previously presided over the Assembly of French Polynesia on three occasions: from April 2007 to February 2008, from February 2009 to April 2009 and from May 2013 to September 2014. Until 2015, Fritch was co-president of Tahoera'a Huiraatira, a pro-French political party, before he became president of the newly-established Tapura Huiraatira.
Michel Buillard is a French Polynesian politician and former Cabinet Minister. Since 1995 he has served as the Mayor of Papeete. He was deputy of the National Assembly of France for French Polynesia's 1st constituency from 1997 to 2012. In the National Assembly, he was a member of the Union for a Popular Movement. In the Assembly of French Polynesia, he is a member of Tapura Huiraatira.
An indirect presidential election was held in French Polynesia on 11 February 2009, after defections from the ruling pro-autonomy faction and a scheduled constructive vote of no confidence planned for 12 February 2009 caused the incumbent Gaston Tong Sang to step down on 7 February 2009.
Alexandre Léontieff was a French politician and the President of French Polynesia from 1987 to 1991.
Jacqui Drollet is a French Polynesian politician, independence campaigner, and former Cabinet Minister. He was Minister of Health from 1987 to 1991, and President of the Assembly of French Polynesia from 14 April 2011 to 16 May 2013.
Tapura Huiraatira is a political party in French Polynesia. It was founded on 20 February 2016 by members of Tahoera'a Huiraatira, a parliamentary coalition in the Assembly of French Polynesia. It is chaired by Édouard Fritch, the President of French Polynesia. Its first congress was attended by 8,000 people, including 38 Polynesian mayors. Nicole Sanquer was the party's only Member of Parliament before she left to join A here ia Porinetia.
Nicole Bouteau is a French Polynesian politician. She is a member of the Assembly of French Polynesia and a former Minister of Tourism.
Teva Rohfritsch is a French Polynesian politician and former Cabinet Minister. Since 2020 he has been one of French Polynesia's two senators in the French Senate, sitting with the Rally of Democrats, Progressives and Independents.
Antony Daniel Teva Géros is a French Polynesian politician and current President of the Assembly of French Polynesia. He has previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and three times as vice-president of French Polynesia. Since 2020 he has served as Mayor of Paea. He is a member of pro-independence party Tavini Huiraatira.
Jean-Marius Raapoto is a French Polynesian educator, academic, politician, and former Cabinet Minister. He has been a major advocate for the Tahitian language, and served as Minister of Education in various governments between 2004 and 2009.
Thomas Moutame is a French Polynesian politician and former Cabinet Minister. He has served as Mayor of Taputapuatea since 1997. He is a member of Tapura Huiraatira.
Pierre Frébault is a French Polynesian civil servant, politician, and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of Tavini Huiraatira.
Émile André Vernaudon is a former French Polynesian politician and Cabinet Minister. The leader of the Aia Api party, he served as President of the Assembly of French Polynesia twice, first from 1981 to 1983, and the second time from 1991 to 1992. He served as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications in the Cabinet of Oscar Temaru. He represented French Polynesia's 2nd constituency in the French National Assembly twice, from 1988 to 1993, and again from 1997 to 2002. From 1977 to 2008 he served as Mayor of Mahina.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
