Gaston Flosse
Encyclopedia
Gaston Flosse is a French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

n politician who has been President of French Polynesia
President of French Polynesia
This is the list of Presidents of French Polynesia.-See also:*List of monarchs of Tahiti*Colonial and Departmental Heads of French Polynesia-External links:*...

 on four separate occasions. He is currently a member of the Senate of France.

Life and career

Flosse was born in Rikitea
Rikitea
Rikitea is a village located on Mangareva island. It is the chief town of the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia. It is served by the Totegegie Airport....

, Mangareva
Mangareva
Mangareva is the central and most important island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north...

, French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

. He has both French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...

 and Polynesian descent.

Flosse supports the current autonomy arrangement between French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

 and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and has led the conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...

 pro-autonomy and anti-independence party Tahoera'a Huiraatira
Tahoera'a Huiraatira
Tāhōʻēraʻa Huiraʻatira is a political party in French Polynesia.At the last legislative elections on May 23, 2004, and by-elections on February 13, 2005, the party won 27 out of 57 seats....

 (People's Rally for the Republic Party) for more than 20 years. He was the vice-president of the government council from 1982 to 1984, when more autonomy was gained and he became President of the Governing Council. He held that position from 1984 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2004.

On February 27, 2004, French Polynesian autonomy was again increased, and Flosse became President of French Polynesia (Le président de la Polynésie française). Shortly after, though, his party lost the parliamentary elections
French Polynesian legislative election, 2004
Elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia, the Territorial Assembly of French Polynesia, were held on May 23, 2004.In a surprise result Oscar Temaru's pro-independence progressive coalition formed Government with a one seat majority in the 57 seat parliament, defeating the conservative party...

, and on June 15, he left office when the parliament, the Assembly of French Polynesia
Assembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...

 (Assemblée de la Polynésie française), elected the pro-independence leader, Oscar Temaru
Oscar Temaru
Oscar Manutahi Temaru is a French Polynesian politician. He has been President of French Polynesia , a French dependency with broad powers of self-rule, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and again since 1 April 2011.-Career:He first served as the President...

, to the post.

On October 22, 2004, he was re-elected to the presidency, and he took office that day, although doubt was cast on the legitimacy of this election by Antony Géros, the President of the French Polynesia Assembly (see French Polynesia political crisis 2004). On February 13, 2005, Flosse's party lost the parliamentary by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....

s, which had been called as a compromise after pressure from Temaru's supporters. On February 18, 2005, Flosse lost the presidency again in a parliamentary confidence vote, and on March 3, 2005, Temaru took over.

Apart from having been president of the territory, he has also been both tourism minister and housing minister. He is the mayor of Pirea municipality north of Papeete
Papeete
-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...

 and has represented the territory in the National Assembly of France. He was first elected to the Senate of France on October 1, 1998.

Flosse was able to govern French Polynesia with the support of centrist parties and groupings. He and French President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...

  have a close personal association, Chirac being a godfather to Flosse's youngest son. This relationship, of course has given the Tahitian special access to the highest levels of power in France, which he has utilised in negotiating aid packages and financial support for the territory.

On 21 June 2006 Flosse was convicted of corruption and given a three-month suspended sentence. The court found that he had abused his political office in connection with a hotel purchase. He continued to be a member of the territorial assembly and French Senate.

Flosse's party came third in the February 2008 legislative assembly elections, but with the support of Oscar Temaru
Oscar Temaru
Oscar Manutahi Temaru is a French Polynesian politician. He has been President of French Polynesia , a French dependency with broad powers of self-rule, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and again since 1 April 2011.-Career:He first served as the President...

 and his UPLD (Union for Democracy) party, which came second, Flosse became President of French Polynesia again on 23 February 2008. He was replaced by Gaston Tong Sang
Gaston Tong Sang
Gaston Tong Sang is the former President of French Polynesia. He served terms as President of French Polynesia from November 2009 until April 2011, from April 2008 until February 2009 and from December 2006 until September 2007.; he is currently the Mayor of Bora-Bora...

 after losing a vote of confidence on 15 April 2008, however.

Flosse was re-elected to the French Senate in the September 2008 Senate election
French Senate election, 2008
Indirect Senate elections were held for 114 of the 343 seats in the French Senate on 21 September 2008. With this election, the number of senators was increased from 331 to 343; Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin elected two senators each for the first time...

.

The JPK Affair

A France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....

 TV programme, Death in the Tropics, implicated Flosse in the 1997 disappearance and possible murder of Tahiti journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud (aka JPK). JPK allegedly had documents which tied Flosse to the Clearstream
Clearstream
Clearstream Banking S.A. is the clearing and settlement division of Deutsche Börse, based in Luxembourg and Frankfurt. Clearstream was created in January 2000 through the merger of Cedel International and Deutsche Börse Clearing...

 bank allegedly involved in finance transactions for terrorists and CEOs.

Political career

Governmental function

Secretry of State for South Pacific : 1986-1988.

Electoral mandates

National Assembly of France

Member of the National Assembly of France for French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

 : 1978-1986 (Became minister in 1986) / 1993-1997. Elected in 1978, reelected in 1981, 1986, 1993.

Senate of France

Senator of French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

 : Since 1998. Elected in 1998, reelected in 2008.

Presidency of the French Polynesia

President of the government of French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

 : 1984-1987 / 1991-2004.

President of the French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...

 : 2004-2005 / February-April 2008.

French Polynesia Territorial Assembly

President of the Assembly of French Polynesia
Assembly of French Polynesia
The Assembly of French Polynesia is the unicameral legislature of French Polynesia, located at the Place Tarahoi in Papeete, Tahiti. It consists of 57 members who are elected by popular vote and by proportional representation in 6 multi-seat constituencies. The only official language of the...

 : 1972-1974.

Municipal Council

Mayor of Pirae
Pirae
Pirae is a commune in the suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Pirae is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, themselves part of the Society Islands. It borders Papeete in the west and...

 : 1965-2000 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995.

Municipal councillor of Pirae
Pirae
Pirae is a commune in the suburbs of Papeete in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Pirae is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, themselves part of the Society Islands. It borders Papeete in the west and...

 : 1965-2000 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995.

See also

  • Politics of French Polynesia
    Politics of French Polynesia
    Politics of French Polynesia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity, whereby the President of French Polynesia is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government...

  • French Polynesian legislative election, 2004
    French Polynesian legislative election, 2004
    Elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia, the Territorial Assembly of French Polynesia, were held on May 23, 2004.In a surprise result Oscar Temaru's pro-independence progressive coalition formed Government with a one seat majority in the 57 seat parliament, defeating the conservative party...

  • List of political parties in French Polynesia
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