1 Feb 2007

France drops the bonus seats arrangement from the French Polynesian electoral system

2:39 pm on 1 February 2007

French Polynesia's election system has been changed for the second time in three years.

A sitting of the French law commission made up of members of both the National Assembly and the Senate decided to abolish the bonus of one third of seats being given to the winner in each of the six electorates.

Many political parties in French Polynesia wanted a change to the system, including the Tahoeraa Huiraatira on whose initiative France approved the bonus seats in 2004.

The election held under the new system in May 2004 saw the surprise defeat of the Tahoeraa which lost power to the coalition led by Oscar Temaru.

The next election is not due until 2009 but there have been calls for fresh elections now that the bonus seat system has been changed.