The High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (french: Haut-Commissaire de la République en Polynésie française) is the highest representative of the French Republic in the overseas country of French Polynesia. The rank is equivalent to the one of a

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

(french: link=no, Préfet) and its powers are governed by Organic Law 2004–192. The High Commissioner is directly appointed by the

President of the French Republic The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is ...

. He enacts local laws (known as ''Lois du Pays'') with the countersignature of the President of French Polynesia and ensures their publication in the
Journal Officiel de la Polynésie française
'. He is competent for every matters not devolved to the Government of French Polynesia. Until 1984, he has assumed the powers now exercised by the President of French Polynesia. The overseas minor territory of

Clipperton Island Clipperton Island ( or ; ) is an uninhabited, coral atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is from Paris, France, from Papeete, Tahiti, and from Mexico. It is an overseas state private property of France under direct authority of the Minis ...

falls also under the jurisdiction of the High Commissioner since it is uninhabited and has no local administration. The official residence and the office of the High Commissioner are housed at the Haut-Commissariat in Papeete.

List of state representatives in French Polynesia

The representative of France hold different titles throughout history. During the period of the protectorate on the

Kingdom of Tahiti The Kingdom of Tahiti was a monarchy founded by paramount chief Pōmare I, who, with the aid of British missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unified the islands of Tahiti, Moʻorea, Teti‘aroa, and Mehetia. The kingdom eventually ...

, this title reflected the political regime of France: * Commissioner of the

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

(1842 – 1848) * Commissioner of the Republic (1848 – 1852) * Commissioner of the

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

(1852 – 1870) * Commissioner of the Republic (1870 – 1880) After the final annexation of Tahiti by the

French Third Republic The French Third Republic (french: Troisième République, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 19 ...

, the Kingdom of Tahiti was dissolved and the French Establishments of Oceania were created. The state representative was titled Governor until 13 July 1977 when the final name of High Commissioner of the Republic was adopted.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colonial and departmental heads of French Polynesia French Polynesian politicians French Polynesia Colonial and Departmental Heads High Commissioners of the Republic in French Polynesia

List of state representatives in French Polynesia

See also

References