Gaston Flosse Quits French Ruling Party
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French Polynesia's long-time former ruler and just-re-elected Senator in the French Upper House Gaston Flosse has confirmed his intention to resign from metropolitan France's ruling UMP party, which openly disassociated from him in the run-up to last weekend's Senate poll.
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Flosse has not indicated yet which side of the Upper House he would sit on, although one possibility is that he could sit as an independent.
"I'm resigning today from UMP, but we haven't decided yet on which caucus we will register. We'll decide once in
He said the decision was a "heart-breaking" one, because since he was re-elected at the weekend, he had received numerous calls from UMP politicians in
But Flosse said this did not change his decision to resign.
Flosse, 77, who was French Polynesia's president over a cumulated period of some 20 years, managed to retain his seat despite UMP refusing to back him and, instead, throwing its support behind
For the poll, Flosse had formed a ticket with pro-independence newcomer, 34-year-old barrister Richard Tuheiava, as part of Flosse's year-old alliance with long-time enemy Oscar Temaru and his pro-independence camp.
Tuheiava was also re-elected and has, at the same time, become the youngest member in the French Senate.
The Senate, which is being renewed by one third every three years, is scheduled to open its new sitting on, October 2, with the election of a new Speaker topping the agenda.
Reacting to Flosse's election earlier this week, UMP Secretary General Patrick Devedjian played down what others have described as a slap in the face of UMP and a sweet taste of revenge for Flosse. Instead, Devedjian said this was merely an effect of "political mechanics."
"We haven't succeeded in terms of the endorsement granted, but we have sown the seeds for the future," he said in
As a result of the first round of the vote which took place in the capital Pape'ete at the weekend, Flosse received some 372 of the 696 voters of an electoral college mainly consisting of members of the local legislative assembly.
Flosse's co-list, a relatively newcomer in politics, 34-year-old barrister Richard Tuheiava, who is a member of pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru's Union for Democracy (UPLD) group, took the second seat with 361 votes.
Flosse's victory is locally perceived as a major setback for his main current opponent, current President Gaston Tong Sang.
It comes after several months of open confrontation with the Paris-based political group Flosse still regards himself as a founding member, over 30 years ago.
The French right-wing party earlier this year clearly indicated it no longer regarded Flosse as one of its members, because of the rapprochement with long-time political foe, pro-independence leader Temaru.
UMP regarded that alliance as an open betrayal of promises Flosse made earlier to the contrary.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy made statements to the same effect in May this year, when he said in essence that a page needed to be turned in
Since last year, as a result of a de facto split within Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira, Flosse, often described as a tireless political animal, has openly embraced a strategy of reconciliation with Temaru, with who he had been at loggerheads for the past 20 years.
Last week, as a final build-up to the elections, Flosse, who also admitted he felt "betrayed," did not rule out that in case of victory, he could from now on declare himself affiliated to the French opposition Socialist party.
This, Flosse said, would be an indication that he was "ready to do everything for the good of the population."
Earlier this month, France's ruling party, the UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire) had officially announced it endorsed a ticket consisting of French Polynesia's President Gaston Tong Sang and one member of his ruling To Tatou Ai'a coalition, Béatrice Vernaudon.
