Politics of

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of French ...

takes place in a framework of a

parliamentary A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

representative democratic Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy, is a type of democracy where elected people represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy. Nearly all modern Western-style democracies function as some type of represe ...

French

overseas collectivity The French overseas collectivities (''collectivité d'outre-mer'' or ''COM'') are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colonies ...

, whereby the President of French Polynesia is the

head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a ...

, and of a

multi-party system In political science, a multi-party system is a political system in which multiple political parties across the political spectrum run for national elections, and all have the capacity to gain control of government offices, separately or in ...

Executive power The Executive, also referred as the Executive branch or Executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law, and has overall responsibility for the governance of a state. In political systems b ...

is exercised by the government.

Legislative power A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known a ...

is vested in both the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government i ...

and the

Assembly of French Polynesia The Assembly of French Polynesia (french: Assemblée de la Polynésie française, Tahitian: Te apo'ora'a rahi o te fenua Mā'ohi) is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic. It is located at Pla ...

. Between 1946 and 2003, French Polynesia had the status of an overseas territory (

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

: ''

territoire d'outre-mer The term overseas territory (french: territoire d'outre-mer or TOM) is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. The division differs from that of overseas department and re ...

'', or ''TOM''). In 2003 it became an overseas collectivity (

: ''

collectivité d'outre-mer The French overseas collectivities ('' collectivité d'outre-mer'' or ''COM'') are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colon ...

'', or COM). Its statutory law of 27 February 2004 gives it the particular designation of "overseas country" to underline the large autonomy of the territory.

Executive branch

, High Commissioner ,

Dominique Sorain Dominique Sorain (born 31 July 1955 in Caudéran, France) is a French senior civil servant. He has been serving as High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = ...

, ''Non-Partisan'' , 10 July 2019 , - ,

President of French Polynesia , flag = , flagsize = , flagcaption = , insignia = Coat of arms of French Polynesia.svg , insigniasize = , insigniacaption = Coat of arms of French P ...

Édouard Fritch Winfred Édouard Tereori Fritch (born 4 January 1952) is a French politician who has served as President of French Polynesia since 2014. He previously presided over the Assembly of French Polynesia on three occasions: from April 2007 to February ...

, Tapura Huiraatira , 18 mai 2018 , - , President of the Assembly , Gaston Tong Sang , Tapura Huiraatira , 17 mai 2018 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 ...

is represented by the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia (''Haut-Commissaire de la République en Polynésie française''). The government is headed by the President of French Polynesia. He submits as

Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/ shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or ...

a list of members of the Territorial Assembly, the

(''Assemblée de la Polynésie française''), for approval by them to serve as ministers.

Legislative branch

French Polynesia elects the

(''Assemblée de la Polynésie française''), the

unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...

legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...

on the territorial level. The Assembly of French Polynesia has 57 members, elected for a five-year term by

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...

in multi-seat

constituencies An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...

. Since the territorial elections of March 6, 2001, the parity bill now binds that the number of women matches the number of men at the Assembly.

Political parties and elections

The members of the

are elected in 6 different electoral districts or electoral circumscriptions (french: circonscriptions électorales) which slightly differ from the administrative subdivisions (''subdivisions administratives'') on the

Tuamotus The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extendin ...

and the Gambier Islands. The 6 electoral circumscriptions (''circonscriptions électorales'') are: * electoral circumscription of the

Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean Sea No ...

(''circonscription des Îles du Vent'') (37 members) * electoral circumscription of the

Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean Sea North Atlantic Ocean , co ...

(''circonscription des Îles Sous-le-Vent'') (8 members) * electoral circumscription of the

Austral Islands The Austral Islands (french: Îles Australes, officially ''Archipel des Australes;'' ty, Tuha'a Pae) are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic in the South Pacific. Geographically, t ...

(''circonscription des Îles Australes'') (3 members) * electoral circumscription of the

Gambier Islands and the Islands Tuamotu-East Gambier may refer to: * '' Uncaria gambir'', a species of tropical shrub ** An astringent extract made from ''Uncaria gambir'' ;People * James Gambier (1723–1789), a British vice-admiral * James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier (1756–1833), a Brit ...

(''circonscription des Îles Gambier et Tuamotu Est'') (3 members) * electoral circumscription of the

Islands Tuamotu-West An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An isla ...

(''circonscription des Îles Tuamotu Ouest'') (3 members) * electoral circumscription of the

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' (North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in ...

(''circonscription des Îles Marquises'') (3 members)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much ...

or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif.

Administrative divisions

French Polynesia has 5 administrative subdivisions (french: subdivisions administratives): *

(french: Îles du Vent or officially ''subdivision administrative des Îles du Vent'') (the two ''subdivisions administratives''

and

are part of the

Society Islands The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the F ...

) *

(french: Îles Sous-le-Vent or officially ''subdivision administrative des Îles Sous-le-Vent'') (the two ''subdivisions administratives''

and

are part of the

) *

(french: (Îles) Marquises or officially ''subdivision administrative des (Îles) Marquises'') *

(french: (Îles) Australes or officially ''subdivision administrative des (Îles) Australes'') (including the Bass Islands) * Tuamotu-Gambier (french: (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier or officially ''subdivision administrative des (Îles) Tuamotu-Gambier'') (the

and the Gambier Islands) ''note:''

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 ...

(french: Île de Clipperton), just off the coast of Mexico, was administered by France from French Polynesia.

International organization participation

ESCAP The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It was established in order to increase economi ...

(associate), FZ, ITUC, SPC,

WMO The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics. The WMO originated from the Internatio ...

References

External links

francepolitique.free.fr

CIA World Factbook – French Polynesia
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Politics Of French Polynesia