French Polynesia elects pro-independence party

The European website Modern Diplomacy has published an article on the elections in French Polynesia. Caliber.Az reprints the article.

French Polynesia has elected a pro-independence party, giving fresh impetus to long-standing calls for a referendum in France’s sprawling overseas territory in the South Pacific.

The Tavini Huiraatira party, led by former president Oscar Temaru, won an absolute majority in the Assembly of French Polynesia, taking 38 of the 57 seats, French newspaper Le Figaro reported.

The Assembly will elect a president of the territory for a five-year term later this month, who could then push an independence bid.

French Polynesia is 121 islands and 280 thousand inhabitants, with deposits of gas and rare earth metals. There is also a French military presence there – and the islands themselves receive 2 billion euros a year in subsidies from Paris. However, during the pandemic, when the tourism industry collapsed, the people of Polynesia were on the verge of ruin.

French Polynesia already has a degree of autonomy, with responsibility for policies including health care, primary and secondary education, and the environment.

In this regard, it is closer to British and Dutch overseas territories than to other French possessions such as Réunion and Guadeloupe, which are treated the same as continental departments.

Nevertheless, Paris retains control over issues such as higher education and defence policy.

Independence has been an issue for decades: Temaru founded the Front de libération de la Polynésie, which would later become Tavini Huiraatira, in 1977.

Winning an absolute majority may give Tavini Huiraatira its best shot yet at independence, though this will need approval from Paris. French Interior and Overseas Minister Gérald Darmanin tweeted his congratulations to the victors - while also pledging to “continue to improve the daily life of our Polynesian fellow citizens.”

The government in Paris congratulates victors and pledges to ‘continue to improve the daily life of our Polynesian fellow-citizens.’

The supporters of independence from France simultaneously advocate strengthening ties with China, which Paris strongly opposes.

China began to enter the islands in time. Beijing offers generous loans to the Polynesians and wants to build a large port for his trading and fishing boats.