5 Aug 2014

Tahiti rule of law still questioned

4:52 pm on 5 August 2014

A leading French Polynesian opposition politician, Teva Rohfritsch, has re-stated his shock at the French government's decision to shield the territory's president, Gaston Flosse.

Last month, Flosse was stripped of all his offices by France's highest court because of corruption.

French Polynesia's veteran leader Gaston Flosse.

French Polynesia's veteran leader Gaston Flosse. Photo: AFP

However, the French government has refused to serve the sentence.

At the same time it accepted an application by Flosse to seek a presidential pardon and it allowed him to stay in office.

Mr Rohfritsch of the A Tia Porinetia Party has told local television that the rule of law is being called into question.

"I have even, humbly, asked Mr Flosse to pre-empt this decision and to give up his mandate of president of French Polynesia. Young people are watching us. For me the law is after all the bedrock of our society and the territory's leading personality mustn't disregard it."

Teva Rohfritsch, the leader of the A Tia Porinetia Party