French Polynesia will today choose its two members of the French Senate in a re-run of last year's election which was annulled in February.
Papeete, capital of French Polynesia Photo: RNZI
Seven candidates are contesting the positions as Walter Zweifel reports.
"The Senate seats had been held by the ruling anti-independence Tahoeraa Huiraatira's Teura Iriti and Vincent Dubois. However, their election was annulled after a French court ruled that a march by hundreds of Tahoeraa supporters to the polling station on election day amounted to undue pressure on the 700-strong electoral college. Both are standing again today. Two other Tahoeraa politicians, including the vice-president Nuihau Laurey, also announced their candidacy which prompted the party leader, Gaston Flosse, to expel them for defying the party. The pro-independence camp is standing Richard Tuheiava, who in 2008 became France's youngest senator. It is also standing Tauhiti Nena and the Greens' leader Jacky Bryant."
