1967 French Polynesian legislative election

Legislative elections were held in French Polynesia on 10 September 1967.[1] The result was a victory for pro-autonomy parties E'a Api and Pupu Here Ai'a, which won 16 of the 30 seats.

Background

The Democratic Rally of the Tahitian People, which had won the previous elections in 1962, was dissolved in November 1963.[2]

Electoral system

The 30 members of the Territorial Assembly were elected from five constituencies; the Austral Islands (2 seats), the Leeward Islands (6), the Marquesas Islands (2), Tuamotu–Gambier Islands (4) and the Windward Islands (16).[1]

Campaign

The main campaign issue was the question of self-governance. At one of its final meetings, the previous Assembly had debated proposals by Jean-Baptiste Céran-Jérusalémy that the territory should be an autonomous territory in the French Community, that a new flag should be created for the territory and used alongside the French flag and that Tahitian should become a co-official language alongside French.[3] Assembly members voted to delay the decision until after the upcoming elections.[3]

Following the Assembly debate, two new anti-autonomy parties were formed; the Democratic Polynesian Movement and Ia Ora O Polynesia.[3] Other anti-autonomy parties included the Tahitian Union–Union for the New Republic alliance led by Rudy Bambridge and the Tahitian Democratic Union led by Alfred Poroi.[1] Pro-autonomy parties included E'a Api led by Francis Sanford, Pupu Here Ai'a led by John Teariki and Te Oto I Te Nunaa led by Charles Poroi.[3][1]

A total of 33 parties or party lists contested the elections, with 18 running in the Windward Islands.[1] Pupu Here Ai'a was the only party to contest all five constituencies.[1]

Results

Twenty of the thirty winning candidates were new to the Assembly. The five candidates from minor parties were considered pro-autonomy.[1]

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
E'a Api	5,027		9	New
Pupu Here Ai'a	4,161		7	New
UT–UNR	2,390		6	–2
Tahitian Democratic Union	1,699		3	–1
Austral Union			1	New
Independents of Economic and Social Action			1	New
Marquesan Union–UNR			1	New
Tahoeraa Ui No Polynesia			1	New
Union of Workers and Fishermen			1	New
Total	24,858	100	30	0
Registered voters/turnout	36,897	67.4	–	–
Source: Assembly of French Polynesia, Pacific Islands Monthly, Saura[4]

Elected members

Constituency	Member	Party	Notes
Austral Islands	Pierre Hunter	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Tetuaura Oputu	Austral Union
Leeward Islands	Roger Amiot	E'a Api
	Adolphe Bohl	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Tetuanui Ehu	UT–UNR	Re-elected
	Marcel Hart	Tahitian Democratic Union	Re-elected
	William Tcheng	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Toro Teriirere	Tahitian Democratic Union
Marquesas Islands	Guy Rauzy	E'a Api
	André Teikitutoua	Marquesan Union–UNR
Tuamotu–Gambier Islands	Calixte Jouette	UT–UNR	Re-elected
	Riquet Marere	UT–UNR	Re-elected
	André Porlier	Union of Workers and Fishermen
	François Tinomano	E'a Api
Windward Islands	Adolphe Agniery	E'a Api
	Yannick Amaru	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Rudy Bambridge	UT–UNR	Re-elected
	François Bordes	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Henri Bouvier	Pupu Here Ai'a
	Gaston Flosse	UT–UNR
	Eugène Haereraaroa	E'a Api
	Anthelme Logel	E'a Api
	Daniel Millaud	E'a Api
	Jean Millaud	E'a Api
	Alfred Poroi	Tahitian Democratic Union	Re-elected
	Nedo Salmon	UT–UNR	Re-elected
	Francis Sanford	E'a Api
	Charles Taufa	Tahoeraa Ui No Polynesia
	John Teariki	Pupu Here Ai'a	Re-elected (previously RDPT)
	Frantz Vanizette	Independents of Economic and Social Action	Re-elected (previously UTD)
Source: Assembly of French Polynesia, Pacific Islands Monthly, Saura[4]

Aftermath

Following the elections, E'a Api and Pupu Here Ai'a agreed to work together to form a government.[5] The new Assembly opened on 1 November and elected the five-member Council of Government; the Tahitian Democratic Union voted with the governing parties, electing Leon Assaud, Jean Roy Bambridge, Jean Juventin, Jacques Laurey and André Lonfevre were elected.[5]

Following the death of Marcel Hart in January 1969, he was replaced by Sam Koua.[6] Rudy Bambridge left the Assembly in March 1969 and was replaced by Jacques Teuira. Ah Kong Sham Koua also entered the Assembly during its term.[7]

References

1. Strong vote for autonomy in French Polynesia Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1967, p25
2. Chronologie 1959–1977 Assembly of French Polynesia
3. Tahiti hotting up for lively Assembly poll Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1967, p27
4. Bruno Saura (2003) Tinito: la communauté chinoise de Tahiti : installation, structuration, intégration, p317
5. New moves on internal self-government in French Polynesia Pacific Islands Monthly, 1 December 1967, pp16–18
6. People Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1969, p112
7. Les élus de l’assemblée territoriale Assembly of French Polynesia