History of French Polynesia

French Polynesia was designated an Overseas Territory of France in 1946 and given a Territorial Assembly on 25 October 1946. French Polynesia’s constitutional status (’Statut’) defines its institutions, legal powers and relationship with France. The French Government has amended this Statut several times since 1946. The government of French Polynesia was given executive responsibility for many areas (including local financial and economic affairs, customs and taxation, tourism, transport, agriculture, fisheries, public works, health, primary and secondary education, social welfare and other internal matters). A new Statut created by an Organic Law (no. 96-312) and accompanying legislation (no. 96-313) on 12 April 1996 gave French Polynesia ‘autonomous status’ and broadened its powers to include control over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), air and sea transport links, telecommunications and postal services and internal security. French Polynesia was also enabled to negotiate and sign in its own right administrative arrangements and regional cooperation agreements with countries in the Pacific region. Under amendments made to France’s Constitution in 2003 to decentralize power in France, French Polynesia is allowed - like other parts of France - some greater measures of local self-regulation. However, the constitutional amendments also strongly anchored all the French overseas possessions to the French Republic by including the names of all ten overseas entities in the French Constitution. French Polynesia is among the ‘overseas collectivities’ (collectivités d’outre-mer), which include Wallis and Futuna, which are governed by Article 74 of France’s Constitution. (New Caledonia is governed by Articles 76 and 77). Pursuant to Article 74, for French Polynesia specifically, a new statut came into force through an Organic Law on 27 February 2004. This strengthened French Polynesia’s degree of autonomy and redefined the former overseas territory as ‘an overseas country (pays d’outre-mer) within the French Republic’ (as specified in article 1 of the Organic Law). The position of President of French Polynesia was created and a new electoral system for the Assembly was established. The French Government is represented in French Polynesia by a High Commissioner, currently responsible for police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs. French Polynesia is a parliamentary democracy, with a 57-seat Assembly and an executive headed by a president elected by a simple majority vote within the assembly for a five year term. Assembly members also serve five year terms. French Polynesia uses its own flag, seal and anthem in conjunction with the French national symbols.

Recent political developments

The political environment in French Polynesia has been marked by considerable instability in recent years with seven changes of government since 2004. The most recent general elections were held in French Polynesia in January and February 2008. Three main political groupings contested the Assembly election: the UPLD independentist coalition which former President, Oscar Temaru, leads; the Tahoera’a Huiraatira party which is led by a long-time political leader, Gaston Flosse (who led French Polynesia for most of the two decades until 2004), and the To Tatou Ai’a coalition, which is led by Gaston Tong Sang. In the 2008 elections, the former ruling party, the UPLD independentist coalition, lost support. With 38.26% of the vote, the UPLD secured 20 seats; 7 seats fewer than it held previously. The To Tatou Ai’a coalition polled 44.87% to secure 27 seats in the new Assembly. The big loser in terms of seats was Gaston Flosse’s Tahoera’a Huiraatira party, which, after polling 16.88%, lost 7 seats to retain only 10 seats in the new Assembly. An alliance was assembled involving Gaston Flosse and Oscar Temaru. Flosse was elected to the position of President, with Temaru subsequently elected as Assembly Speaker on 1 March 2008. The government comprised five Tahoera’a and 10 UPLD members. The To Tatou Ai’a coalition, which attracted more party preferred support but which failed to achieve a simple majority was excluded. Members of Tong Sang’s coalition reacted strongly. Tong Sang led a demonstration of 10,000 in Papeete to protest the election of Flosse, and lodged a legal appeal with the French State Council. Reactions from France were similarly negative – the French governing party, with which Flosse had been affiliated, announced it would sever all ties with him. After the governing alliance was agreed by Flosse and Temaru, UPLD and nine of the 10 Tahoera’a members united to form