Politics of French Polynesia
Encyclopedia
Politics of French Polynesia
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic
French overseas collectivity
, whereby the President of French Polynesia is the head of government
, and of a multi-party system
. Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the Assembly of French Polynesia
.
Between 1946 and 2003, French Polynesia had the status of an overseas territory (French
: territoire d'outre-mer
, or TOM). In 2003 it became an overseas collectivity (French
: collectivité d'outre-mer
, or COM). Its statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular designation of "overseas country" to underline the large autonomy of the territory.
|Adolphe Colrat
|Non-Partisan
|7 July 2008
|-
|President of French Polynesia
|Oscar Temaru
|Tavini Huiraatira
|1 April 2011
|-
|President of the Assembly
|Jacqui Drollet
|Ia Mana te Nunaa
|14 April 2011
|}
The President of the French Republic
is represented by the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (Haut-Commissaire de la République en Polynésie française). The government is headed by the President of French Polynesia. He submits as Council of Ministers a list of members of the Territorial Assembly, the Assembly of French Polynesia
(Assemblée de la Polynésie française), for approval by them to serve as ministers.
It has been hinted new elected president on September 14 will be an interim president before a new round of fresh parliamentary elections expected to take place by the end of the year, followed by a new presidential election.
(Assemblée de la Polynésie française), 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. Since the territorial elections of March 6, 2001, the parity bill now binds that the number of women matches the number of men at the Assembly.
are elected in 6 different electoral districts or electoral circumscriptions which slightly differ from the administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives) on the Tuamotus
and the Gambier Islands
. The 6 electoral circumscriptions (circonscriptions électorales) are:
, 63, was elected president of French Polynesia
for the 3rd time in 3 years (with 27 of 44 votes
cast in Tahiti
assembly
). He replaced former President Gaston Tong Sang
, who lost a no-confidence vote in the 31 August parliament
.
note: Clipperton Island
, just off the coast of Mexico, was administered by France from French Polynesia.
, ITUC
, SPC
, WMO
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
French overseas collectivity
Collectivité d'outre-mer
The French overseas collectivities , like the French regions are first-order administrative divisions of France. The COMs include some former French overseas territories and other French overseas entities with a particular status, all of which became COMs by constitutional reform on 28 March...
, whereby the President of French Polynesia is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and the Assembly of French Polynesia
Assembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...
.
Between 1946 and 2003, French Polynesia had the status of an overseas territory (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: territoire d'outre-mer
Territoire d'outre-mer
The term overseas territory , is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands....
, or TOM). In 2003 it became an overseas collectivity (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
: collectivité d'outre-mer
Collectivité d'outre-mer
The French overseas collectivities , like the French regions are first-order administrative divisions of France. The COMs include some former French overseas territories and other French overseas entities with a particular status, all of which became COMs by constitutional reform on 28 March...
, or COM). Its statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular designation of "overseas country" to underline the large autonomy of the territory.
Executive branch
|High Commissioner|Adolphe Colrat
Adolphe Colrat
Adolphe Colrat is a French civil servant and the current French High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia since 2008. He succeeded Anne Boquet in the post.-Early life :...
|Non-Partisan
|7 July 2008
|-
|President of French Polynesia
President of French Polynesia
This is the list of Presidents of French Polynesia.-See also:*List of monarchs of Tahiti*Colonial and Departmental Heads of French Polynesia-External links:*...
|Oscar Temaru
Oscar Temaru
Oscar Manutahi Temaru is a French Polynesian politician. He has been President of French Polynesia , a French dependency with broad powers of self-rule, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and again since 1 April 2011.-Career:He first served as the President...
|Tavini Huiraatira
Tavini Huiraatira
The Tavini Huiraatira is a political party in French Polynesia.The party was founded in 1977 by Oscar Temaru under the name the Front for the Liberation of Polynesia...
|1 April 2011
|-
|President of the Assembly
|Jacqui Drollet
|Ia Mana te Nunaa
|14 April 2011
|}
The President of the French Republic
President of the French Republic
The President of the French Republic colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France's elected Head of State....
is represented by the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (Haut-Commissaire de la République en Polynésie française). The government is headed by the President of French Polynesia. He submits as Council of Ministers a list of members of the Territorial Assembly, the Assembly of French Polynesia
Assembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...
(Assemblée de la Polynésie française), for approval by them to serve as ministers.
It has been hinted new elected president on September 14 will be an interim president before a new round of fresh parliamentary elections expected to take place by the end of the year, followed by a new presidential election.
Legislative branch
French Polynesia elects the Assembly of French PolynesiaAssembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...
(Assemblée de la Polynésie française), the unicameral
Unicameralism
In government, unicameralism is the practice of having one legislative or parliamentary chamber. Thus, a unicameral parliament or unicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of one chamber or house...
legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
on the territorial level. The Assembly of French Polynesia has 57 members, elected for a five year term by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in multi-seat constituencies. Since the territorial elections of March 6, 2001, the parity bill now binds that the number of women matches the number of men at the Assembly.
Political parties and elections
The members of the Assembly of French PolynesiaAssembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...
are elected in 6 different electoral districts or electoral circumscriptions which slightly differ from the administrative subdivisions (subdivisions administratives) on the Tuamotus
Tuamotus
The Tuamotus or the Tuamotu Archipelago are a chain of islands and atolls in French Polynesia. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean roughly the size of Western Europe...
and the Gambier Islands
Gambier Islands
There was a time when the Gambiers hosted a population of several thousand people and traded with other island groups including the Marquesas, the Society Islands and Pitcairn Islands...
. The 6 electoral circumscriptions (circonscriptions électorales) are:
- electoral circumscription of the Windward IslandsWindward Islands (Society Islands)The Windward Islands are the eastern group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
(circonscription des Îles du Vent) (37 members) - electoral circumscription of the Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands (Society Islands)The Leeward Islands are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands , east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands . Their area is 395 km² with a population of over 33,000...
(circonscription des Îles Sous-le-Vent) (8 members) - electoral circumscription of the Austral IslandsAustral IslandsThe Austral Islands are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. Geographically, they consist of two separate archipelagos, namely in the northwest the Tubuai Islands consisting of the Îles Maria, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai...
(circonscription des Îles Australes) (3 members) - electoral circumscription of the Gambier Islands and the Islands Tuamotu-East (circonscription des Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est) (3 members)
- electoral circumscription of the Islands Tuamotu-West (circonscription des Îles Tuamotu Ouest) (3 members)
- electoral circumscription of the Marquesas IslandsMarquesas IslandsThe Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
(circonscription des Îles Marquises) (3 members)
2007 elections
On September 14, 2007, Oscar TemaruOscar Temaru
Oscar Manutahi Temaru is a French Polynesian politician. He has been President of French Polynesia , a French dependency with broad powers of self-rule, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and again since 1 April 2011.-Career:He first served as the President...
, 63, was elected president of French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
for the 3rd time in 3 years (with 27 of 44 votes
Votes
Votes are a people of Votia in Ingria, the part of modern day northwestern Russia that is roughly southwest of Saint Petersburg and east of the Estonian border-town of Narva. Their own ethnic name is Vadjalain . The Finnic Votic language spoken by Votes is close to extinction. Votians were one of...
cast in Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
assembly
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
). He replaced former President Gaston Tong Sang
Gaston Tong Sang
Gaston Tong Sang 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...
, who lost a no-confidence vote in the 31 August parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
.
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif.Administrative divisions
French Polynesia has 5 administrative subdivisions :- Windward IslandsWindward Islands (Society Islands)The Windward Islands are the eastern group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
( or officially subdivision administrative des Îles du Vent) (the two subdivisions administratives Windward IslandsWindward Islands (Society Islands)The Windward Islands are the eastern group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
and Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands (Society Islands)The Leeward Islands are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands , east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands . Their area is 395 km² with a population of over 33,000...
are part of the Society IslandsSociety IslandsThe Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
) - Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands (Society Islands)The Leeward Islands are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands , east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands . Their area is 395 km² with a population of over 33,000...
( or officially subdivision administrative des Îles Sous-le-Vent) (the two subdivisions administratives Windward IslandsWindward Islands (Society Islands)The Windward Islands are the eastern group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
and Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands (Society Islands)The Leeward Islands are the western part of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. They lie south of the Line Islands , east of the Cooks and north of the Austral Islands . Their area is 395 km² with a population of over 33,000...
are part of the Society IslandsSociety IslandsThe Society Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. They are politically part of French Polynesia. The archipelago is generally believed to have been named by Captain James Cook in honor of the Royal Society, the sponsor of the first British scientific survey of the islands;...
) - Marquesas IslandsMarquesas IslandsThe Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
( or officially subdivision administrative des (Îles) Marquises) - Austral IslandsAustral IslandsThe Austral Islands are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the South Pacific. Geographically, they consist of two separate archipelagos, namely in the northwest the Tubuai Islands consisting of the Îles Maria, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai...
( or officially subdivision administrative des (Îles) Australes) (including the Bass Islands) - Tuamotu-GambierÎles Tuamotu-GambierThe Îles Tuamotu-Gambier Tuamotu-Gambier) geographically consist of the Tuamotus and the Gambier Islands which are geographically located closely together....
( or officially subdivision administrative des (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier) (the TuamotusTuamotusThe Tuamotus or the Tuamotu Archipelago are a chain of islands and atolls in French Polynesia. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean roughly the size of Western Europe...
and the Gambier IslandsGambier IslandsThere was a time when the Gambiers hosted a population of several thousand people and traded with other island groups including the Marquesas, the Society Islands and Pitcairn Islands...
)
note: Clipperton Island
Clipperton Island
Clipperton Island is an uninhabited nine-square-kilometre coral atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean, southwest of Mexico and west of Central America, at...
, just off the coast of Mexico, was administered by France from French Polynesia.
International organization participation
ESCAP (associate), FZFZ
FZ or fz may refer to:* Forzando, in music, forcingly, with strong emphasis, not unlike an accent* Frank Zappa, an American composer, musician, and film director* F-Zero, a futuristic racing video game by Nintendo...
, ITUC
International Trade Union Confederation
The International Trade Union Confederation is the world's largest trade union federation. It was formed on November 1, 2006 out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour...
, SPC
Secretariat of the Pacific Community
The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC , is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations and territories...
, WMO
See also
- French PolynesiaFrench PolynesiaFrench Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
- Elections in French PolynesiaElections in French PolynesiaElections in French Polynesia gives information on election and election results in French Polynesia.French Polynesia elects the Assembly of French Polynesia , the unicameral legislature on the territorial level...
- French Polynesian legislative election, 2004French Polynesian legislative election, 2004Elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia, the Territorial Assembly of French Polynesia, were held on May 23, 2004.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...
- Assembly of French PolynesiaAssembly of French PolynesiaThe Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...