Home > Fresh elections on agenda to avert strife in French Polynesia
Fresh elections on agenda to avert strife in French Polynesia
by Open-Publishing - Wednesday 17 November 2004By ANGELA GREGORY
France wants representatives on each side of the French Polynesian political impasse to meet in Paris and discuss calling fresh elections across the territory.
Two leaders are both claiming to be the lawful head of government. France has officially recognised President Gaston Flosse, but his political foe, Oscar Temaru, and his supporters are occupying the presidential buildings in the capital, Papeete. There are fears of violence if the situation is not resolved soon.
Mr Temaru yesterday told the Herald he was optimistic the French Government could be persuaded to allow new elections as the only way to move forward. Mr Temaru narrowly won the presidency after the May elections but lost his grip on power to Flosse last month after votes of no confidence in his coalition government.
Mr Flosse had appealed to the Council of State in Paris to call new elections in the Windward Islands of Tahiti and Moorea, which he had lost by a few hundred votes. The council yesterday annulled those results but the Government is now considering calling new elections throughout the whole of French Polynesia.
Mr Temaru said he saw the development as positive . "It is good news ... we are planning to fly to Paris for the roundtable discussions."
A spokesman for Mr Flosse, Yves Aubert, said his side would attend the meeting only if Temaru ended the illegal occupation of the presidential complex.
Maori activist Tame Iti is meanwhile supporting Mr Temaru after flying into Papeete at the weekend with a Maori Television crew.