With 34.9% of the vote, the list of former President Oscar Temaru and MP Moetai Brotherson came out on top in the first round of the Polynesian Assembly elections on Sunday April 16, 2023, according to the provisional results of the Haut -Commissariat. On April 30, this independence list will face in the second round that of President Edouard Fritch (30.46%), and that of the former autonomist Vice-President Nuihau Laurey (14.54%). None of the five other lists reached the bar of 12.5% of votes cast. They are eliminated.
The separatists came out on top in an important and uncertain election in French Polynesia. They will face in the second round the autonomists of the outgoing president, as well as another autonomist list, according to provisional results communicated on Sunday.
In the event of a confirmed victory on April 30, they would be for the first time in a position of strength against Paris, to negotiate a process of decolonization and a referendum on self-determination. Especially since it is the Assembly that chooses the Polynesian president.
This is a non-negligible probability, since the Tavini party of Mr. Oscar Temaru could benefit from a large part of the votes carried over from the parties eliminated in the first round, the latter having all campaigned against the outgoing president and his majority in the bedroom.
The latter, Edouard Fritch, carries with him the memory of the Covid, and despite a rather positive economic balance sheet, the high inflation suffered by Polynesia in 2022 (8.5%) is also attributed to him by part of the opinion, because he introduced a new VAT to preserve the local Secu.
His opponent Moetai Brotherson campaigned on the abolition of this tax and more generally on purchasing power. He also spoke little about independence and was able to seduce beyond this electorate, capitalizing on the rejection of the outgoing president.
The independence party had already won the three seats of deputies assigned to Polynesia in the National Assembly in Paris. Among them: the youngest deputy of the Bourbon palace, Tematai Le Gayic, as well as Steve Chailloux and Moetai Brotherson.
It is therefore now he, Mr. Broterson, the favorite for the presidency and then the formation of a government, especially since the winning list benefits from a majority bonus guaranteeing him three quarters of the 57 seats – the chamber will also have to have its own president.
► To read also: Elections in French Polynesia: “The future of Polynesia within the framework of the Republic is at stake”