French Polynesia

The islands were annexed by France beginning in the 1840s. In 1958 a plebiscite was held, the islands voting for the status of an overseas territory within the French Community, a status which it held until 2003. Between 2003 and early 2004, the islands were classed as an overseas collectivity of France. However, in 2004 the islands were granted the new designation of “overseas country”, which gives an increased amount of autonomy to the territory. French Polynesia is governed by a 49-member territorial assembly, elected by universal adult suffrage, and is represented in both houses of the French National Assembly (see France: Government) and is also represented at the European Parliament.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Marquesas Islands were settled around ad 300 by Polynesians from Tonga and Samoa. The western portion of the Society Islands was probably inhabited by ad 800. Significant European contact in the region began in 1767, when British explorer Samuel Wallis came upon what is now Tahiti. French navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville followed soon after, and Captain James Cook arrived in 1769. Cook named Tahiti and called its surrounding islands the Society Islands after his sponsor, Britain’s Royal Society. The first European settlers in the area were members of the London Missionary Society who arrived in 1796.

In the early 20th century the port town of Papeete grew as the main economic, administrative, and religious centre. During World War II the island of Bora-Bora in the Society Islands became a refuelling station for United States forces. In 1946 the colony became an overseas territory of France and in 1966, France began a nuclear testing programme on uninhabited islands in the Tuamotu Archipelago. There were movements for greater autonomy throughout the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in several statutes that gave the territorial government more power. In the early 1990s Tahiti’s high prices and international anti-nuclear sentiment caused a serious decline in the tourism industry. In March 1996 the French government signed the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty, which banned nuclear testing in the region. The halting of testing caused widespread unemployment in French Polynesia, and France promised to contribute substantial economic aid over a period of years to help the territory diversify its economy.

The conservative government led by Gaston Flosse of the pro-autonomy Tahoeraa Huiraatira (People’s Rally for the Republic Party) came to power in 1982 and dominated the islands’ politics in the late 20th century. In February 2004 French Polynesia was granted the status of “overseas country”, which gave the islands increased autonomy, and Flosse became French Polynesia’s first president. Legislative elections were held in May, and Flosse’s party was ousted from power by a progressive coalition led by pro-independence candidate Oscar Temaru. However, less than five months later, amid much controversy, fresh parliamentary elections were held and Flosse restored himself as president. Temaru contested the vote and after a series of negotiations was returned to power in March 2005.

Public protests at the high cost of living in French Polynesia escalated in 2006. By the end of the year, Temaru had lost the support of his government and in December a vote of no confidence removed him from power. Gaston Tong Sang, of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira, succeeded Temaru as president, but faced a challenge to his presidency after just a matter of weeks in office, when Temaru attempted to pass a motion of no confidence against him. This first challenge to Tong Sang’s authority failed to gain sufficient backing; however, by August 2007 Temaru had gained enough support to call for a new vote of no confidence in parliament. Shortly afterwards, Tong Sang stepped down from office. Parliamentary elections held in September returned Temaru to serve a third term as president.