By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk
A rift within French Polynesia’s ruling party Tavini Huiraatira deepened during Easter weekend with a mass resignation from a group of 14 members.
The resignation was tendered by a group of young members of the local Territorial Assembly.
In their resignation letter, the members of the local parliament, writing to Tavini’s historic 81-year-old leader Oscar Temaru, insist that their decision was “carefully considered” and “does not question the respect we have [towards Temaru].”
The mass resignation reduces Tavini’s majority to 22 within the Territorial Assembly (out of a total of 57 MPs).
This also means Tavini no longer has an absolute majority within the House.
The Assembly is scheduled to convene at its next sitting this week on 9 April 2026.
Crucial Assembly meeting on Thursday
Any motion of no confidence requires the approval of at least 35 MPs.
The other components of the Assembly include 16 from the opposition pro-France (autonomists) and 5 others who are independents.
The 14 resigning MPs belong to a group of “moderate” members of the Tavini, who were mostly elected at French Polynesia’s last territorial elections in May 2023.
Tensions have since surfaced between the newly-elected members of the “new generation” and the founding members of the Tavini, including party president Oscar Temaru and the party’s number two, Antony Géros (who is also the Speaker of the Territorial Assembly).
At the recently-held municipal elections, Géros lost his position of Mayor of the small city of Paea and in the capital city of Pape’ete, pro-autonomy figure Rémy Brillant won — well ahead of two pro-independence figures, Tavini-backed Tauhiti Nena (who secured 11.03 percent of the votes) and 25-year-old Tematai Le Gayic, 25 (who scored much better with 23.3 percent).
In the wake of the municipal elections, Le Gayic was the first to signal the split with his party.
The next territorial elections are scheduled to be held in 2028.
The group of dissident MPs is perceived as close to Brotherson, 56, who became French Polynesia’s President in May 2023.
Géros was not chosen at the time.
Less confrontational approach
Brotherson has since embodied a less confrontational approach, especially with regards to his perceived good relationship with the French government, as opposed to a more confrontational approach from his party’s historic leadership.
Among the most often cited causes of the rift between Tavini’s old guard and the younger group of MPs are such issues as French Polynesia’s undersea mineral resources exploitation (which Temaru favours, as a key to the French Pacific territory’s independence).
The younger Tavini MPs, as well as French Polynesia’s Tavini President Moetai Brotherson (who is also Temaru’s son-in-law), are opposed to this exploitation of resources.
This anti-deep sea mining exploitation is also the official stance of the French government, which is warning of potential environmental damage from such operations.
Brotherson’s general stance over independence is also more nuanced and contrasts with the party’s support for a short timeline and process.
Since the resignation, Tavini has held several “emergency” meetings in a bid to reconcile the two opposing factions.
But none of those have been conclusive.
Some of the views expressed by militants support a resignation from Brotherson, which he is opposed to.
Others recommend a one-on-one meeting between Temaru and Brotherson to try and iron out their differences.
“If nothing comes out of this meeting, then Tavini Huiraatira will take action on April 9,” the party wrote on social networks at the weekend.
“If we start entertaining diverging views of the party’s objectives, we’re in trouble”, an irate Géros told local media.
Biblical references
Temaru and his son-in-law have separately commented on the Easter weekend crisis.
On Good Friday, they both used biblical, religious metaphors and direct references to Easter.
“Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” said Temaru, quoting crucified Jesus Christ during his Easter martyrdom.
But he also admitted there were “reasons to be worried”.
Meanwhile, Brotherson posted on social networks: “While some are meeting in tribunal mode, on this Good Friday, I prefer to leave it to God.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
