Governance Information for Tahiti / French Polynesia (France)

Type of Government:

Dependent territory of France.  French Polynesia is a parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity, whereby the President of French Polynesia is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Assembly of French Polynesia.

Capital city:

Papeete, on Tahiti in the Society Islands group.

Population:

283,019 (July 2008 est.)

Independence:

Not Independent - none (overseas lands of France)

Constitution:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

President of France (Head of State):

Oscar TEMARU

President:

Oscar TEMARU

Vice President:

GEROS, Anthony

Parliament:

French Polynesia’s unicameral legislature is an elected 57 member Assembly of French Polynesia (Assemblée de la Polynésie française).

Ministers:

Government of French Polynesia
http://www.tahiti.com/english-version/about-tahiti/gen-resources/govmt-tahiti.htm#Government

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

Electoral System:

French Polynesia elects the Assembly of French Polynesia on the territorial level.  The Assembly of French Polynesia is elected for a five year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. There is a two-party system.  Since the territorial elections of March 6th, 2001, the parity bill now binds that the number of women matches the number of men at the Assembly.

The members of the Assembly of French Polynesia are elected in 6 different electoral districts or electoral circumscriptions.  The 6 electoral circumscriptions (circonscriptions électorales) are:

• Windward Islands (circonscription des Îles du Vent) (37 members)
• Leeward Islands (circonscription des Îles Sous-le-Vent) (8 members)
• Austral Islands (circonscription des Îles Australes) (3 members)
• Gambier Islands and the Islands Tuamotu-East (circonscription des Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est) (3 members)
• Islands Tuamotu-West (circonscription des Îles Tuamotu Ouest) (3 members)
• Marquesas Islands (circonscription des Îles Marquises) (3 members)

Election:

French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits)

Political Parties:

   Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU].

Judicial System:

Court of Appeal (or Cour d'Appel);

Court of the First Instance (or Tribunal de Premiere Instance);

Court of Administrative Law (or Tribunal Administratif)

Military Commander:

As an overseas territory of France, defense and law-enforcement are provided by the French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force) and Gendarmerie.

International Memberships

Franc Zone (FZ)

International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Associate) - 31 July 1992

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Sources:

(1) Government - French Polynesia
www.tahiti.com/english-version/about-tahiti/gen-resources/govmt-tahiti.htm

(2) World Fact Book - French Polynesia
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/fp.html