Since 1984, the territorial elected are responsible for the conducting of the economic and social development through 3 institutions: the Government, the Territorial Assembly and the CESC (Economic, Social and Cultural Council).

The Government of French Polynesia is a collegiate institution, led by a President. The latter represents the keystone of the executive body.

The President of the French Polynesia Government must be elected by the 57 councilors of the French Polynesia Assembly with an absolute majority. His term of office is of five years as is the one of the councilors of the Assembly of French Polynesia.
However, two major events could bring his term of office to an end, as well as that of the Government: firstly, in case of a motion of censure by the Assembly and secondly, if the Assembly dissolves.
The President of the Government is the key-figure who, under any circumstances, represents the Territory. He is in any case, the Chief of the Territorial administration and multiple functions are personally vested to him by the statutory law.
Therefore, the Executive body chief appoints the Ministers and the Vice-President. He decides on their portfolios and their attributions, he also summons, presides and sets the agenda for the Council of Ministers.
The President can also revoke members of his Government. The President has normative power since he takes all individual acts necessary for the execution of territorial rulings (such as resolutions from the Assembly of French Polynesia, and acts for the Council of ministers).
He also appoints the executive staffs of the public services, except chief executives, who are appointed by the Council of ministers. The Council of ministers can give powers to the President and he can make use of it.
He is also the ordinance officer of the Territorial Budget.
Finally, he can only partly take decisions in International Relationships.
He appoints an unlimited number of ministers.
Ministers represent the second part of the Government. Together, with the President of the Government, they are compelled to put decisions into application in a collegial manner, which pertains to the executive competence.
The Council of ministers is entitled to take appropriate measures necessary to the application of the resolutions voted upon by the Assembly, it is also an important and autonomous decision making power. Finally, Ministers must make sure to handle properly the portfolios given to them by the President.

The Assembly of French Polynesia is a deliberating body, with normative functions and executive control.
This local parliament votes resolutions in all sectors that are part of the Territory's competency, except for executive body related resolutions.
Since the passing of the March, 2nd 2004 organic law, concerning the Statute of Autonomy, and which established French Polynesia as an overseas country, the Assembly can also vote "country laws" in fields that fell within the competence of the French State so far.
The elected members of the Assembly vote for the President of French Polynesia.
This Assembly is made of 57 Territorial advisers, representing the six districts of the five archipelagos of French Polynesia. They are elected for five years, on proportional representation.
The Territorial advisers also elect the Officers and the President of the Assembly, in office for one year. Since the territorial elections of March 6th, 2001, the parity bill now binds that the number of women matches the number of men at the Assembly.
Other than the administrative and budgetary sessions, the standing committee, which is a restricted assembly, is the deliberative body of the Assembly.
Beside, in accordance with the principle of parliamentary government, the Assembly may impeach the Government with a three-fifth majority vote.
On the other hand, the Assembly can be dissolved, at the request of the President of French Polynesia, by a decree from the Council of Ministers of the French government.
The current President of the Assembly of French Polynesia is Antony Geros. He was elected on April, 14th 2005.
Functions of the Assembly:
-Examination and adoption of the deliberations projects presented by the Government or by the Councilors.
-Vote for budget
-Approval of the Territory accounts
-Regency of fiscality
-Decision of Territory loans

The CESC is  made of 41 members divided up into four sectors: salaried employees; employers; agricultural activities, breeding, fishing and traditional craft industry; associations and groups with an economic, family, scientific, cultural, educative and sports nature. Members are appointed by their respective groups for a four-year term.
The Chairman of the C.E.S.C. is elected for a year and must come from a different industrial sector every year.
Twelve officers are also elected for a year and are divided evenly among the four branch of industry.
The C.E.S.C. is an advisory group which is consulted by the Government of French Polynesia or the Assembly of French Polynesia regarding projects that have an economic, social or cultural nature. However, the Council may also conduct its own studies on subjects relevant to its authority.
Opinions and projects are carried out by five specialized committees or by a temporary task force, before they are presented to the members of the C.E.S.C.
 

GOVERNMENT OF FRENCH POLYNESIA:

As of May 2008

	-PRESIDENT Ministre des relations avec les institutions, avec l’Etat et l’Europe et des Relations Internationales, du Tourisme, des transports aériens internationaux et de la Communication.	Mr. TONG SANG, Gaston	Tél : (689) 47 20 00
	-VICE-PRESIDENT Ministre de la santé et de la prévention, en charge de la politique de la ville. Porte-parole du gouvernement.	Mr. IENFA, Jules
	Ministre de l’Economie et du pacte social, en charge du développement de l’emploi durable, du travail, de la formation professionnelle, de l’énergie et des mines.	Mr. LEJEUNE, Guy
	Ministre de la Solidarité et du logement, en charge de la Réforme de la protection sociale, de la famille et de la condition féminine.	Mrs. MERCERON, Armelle
	Ministre de l’Education de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche, en charge des transports terrestres.	Mr. ALPHA, Tearii
	Ministre du Budget, des Finances et des pouvoirs publics, en charge du développement de l’économie numérique	Mr. PUCHON, Georges
	Ministre de l’Aménagement, des relations avec les communes, en charge des énergies renouvelables.	Mr. TERIITAHI, Moehau
	Ministre de l’Equipement, des ports et des aéroports dans les îles, en charge des grands travaux.	Mr. FREBAULT, Louis
	Ministre de la Perliculture et des dessertes interinsulaires maritimes et aériennes	Mr. HUIOUTU-HAPAITAHAA, Teva
	Ministre du Développement des Archipels	Mrs. TEURA, Otime
	Ministre de la Jeunesse et des Sports	Mr. VERNAUDON, Clarenntz
	Ministre de l’environnement et des affaires foncières	Mr. TEIHOTU, Lionel
	Ministre de la mer, de la pêche et de l’aquaculture	Mr. FOSTER, Temauri
	Ministre de l’agriculture, de l’élevage et des forêts	Mr. ROOMATAROA, Fernand
	Ministre de l’industrie, des très petites, petites et moyennes entreprises et des métiers	Mr. SUN, Mairai
	Ministre de la culture et de l’artisanat, du patrimoine et de la promotion des langues polynésiennes	Mr. KAIHA, Joseph

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MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT :
The government of the Territory is represented in Paris by
3 members of Parliament (1 senator, 2 deputies)
and 1 Economic and Social Councilor

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STATUTE of FRENCH POLYNESIA:

The treaty between France’s King Louis Philippe and Tahiti’s Queen Pomare IV, converted Tahiti, in 1843, from an Oceanic Settlement (“Etablissements de l’Océanie”) into a French Protectorate. At first, there was an institutional evolution towards a centralization of the government powers.
However, immediately following World War II, the French Oceanic Settlement (“Etablissements français de l’Océanie”) became an overseas territory, or a territorial community, with a “specific organization”, as promised by the General Charles de Gaulle, during the Brazzaville Conference, in 1944.

Administrative decentralization : 1946-1984
The new legal statute was specified by a decree on October 25th, 1956. The introduction of the administrative decentralization, within the French Oceanic Settlement, associated the people of Tahiti and Her Islands to the management of their own public affairs.
Meanwhile, the Territorial Representative Assembly had in charge “the Territory’s own interests”, with the power to adopt resolutions on number of subjects.
However, the preparation and the execution of those decisions were given to a French Governor, appointed by the French State. This institutional outline, which closely resembles that of a French Department, was not what the people of Tahiti were expecting. They had hoped to have more control over the decision-making process, involving their Territory’s affairs.
That expectation was not met until July 22nd, 1957, when a new statute created “French Polynesia”, broadening the Assembly’s responsibilities as a deliberating body, by adding new areas (trade, transportation, education, etc.).
At the same time, the new statute created a Government Council, made of six to eight Ministers, one of whom was the Vice-President elected by the Territorial Assembly. The French Governor was still presiding the Council.
But an edict, on December 23rd, 1958, rapidly put an end to this institutional organization and replaced it with a statute that returned powers to the Governor. In effect, if the Territorial Assembly’s powers were hardly modified, members of the Government Council were no longer Ministers, but only councilors who had lost the territorial department powers they had been given. Furthermore, the Vice-President position was abolished.
Twenty years went by before the 1977 statute corrected that of 1958 and returned French Polynesia to an organizational structure, close to that of 1957.

The Autonomy : 1984-2000
The evolution carried on with a bill voted on September 6th, 1984, implementing a true statute of autonomy. Significant changes in the organization, as well as the operations of the institutions of the Government were introduced.
At first, the statute acknowledged French Polynesia’s identity through distinctive symbols (such as the Polynesian flag and the anthem), to sit next to those of the French state.
Secondly, the French High-Commissioner was no longer the Territory’s chief executive, but the President of the Government of French Polynesia. For instance, the President was in charge of a new portfolio, that of the International Relations, allowing him to sign international agreements).
Finally, the regulatory power of the Council of Ministers was extended.
Furthermore, the political responsibility of the Polynesian Government could be put into use when there was a vote on a motion of censorship at the Assembly of French Polynesia. Conversely, and in conformance to the principles of a parliamentary system, the President of the Government could ask the State to dissolve the Assembly.
There was another significant reform: Control, a priori, of Territorial Government official acts were replaced by a legal control given to an administrative judge, while new responsibilities were given to the Territory (secondary education, post-offices, telecommunications, release on probation of minors, etc.).
This new institutional order gave local institutions full control of French Polynesia’s development tools.
However, flaws remained, notably the decisional power of territorial officials (particularly the Assembly’s normative power) was not fully satisfied. In effect, if the Territorial Assembly could not adopt resolutions in areas that were materially legislative, those acts remained simply those of an administrative nature and, from then on, they were subject to legal control that limited French Polynesia’s autonomy.
New improvements in the statute were made with the organic law of April 12th, 1996. Additional responsibilities were transferred to French Polynesia. Economic matters and technical improvements were introduced, with an improvement in the operation of institutions. But at the time, it wasn’t yet possible to do away with enough constitutional limits in order for autonomy to fully bloom.
In 1998, President Gaston Flosse’s new request to evolve the statute from that of an overseas territory to that of an overseas country, was supported by the French President, Jacques Chirac. This effort successfully concluded on January 24th, 2000, when the French Congress voted on Title 14 in the French Constitution, which deals with French Polynesia.
That means that the Assembly of French Polynesia now adopts “laws” in the most important areas, and not just “resolutions”, or administrative acts. This major modification infers a great change. Unlike overseas territories that can only benefit from a principle of “free administration of territorial communities”, the Overseas Countries make use of the principle of “free government”, better known as “self-government” in English judicial systems.
The attribution to French Polynesia of a legislative capacity presents great advantages. Firstly, the country laws are no longer subject to national laws and general principles of right extricated by ordinary jurisdictions, but are subject only to the Constitution.
Then, the control of the constitutionality of a country laws is given to one specialized and unique jurisdiction: the Constitutional Council (“Conseil constitutionel”).
Finally, considering the Constitutional Council’s distinguished position among political institutions, this constitutional judge is certainly more appropriate to arbitrate conflicts of responsibilities, as in federated states, between the central power and French Polynesia.
This revision of the Constitution also enlarges the field of responsibilities of French Polynesia, which can negotiate international agreements with foreign states, in matters relevant to its responsibility. It also may become a member of international organizations and have representation in foreign states.
This new overseas country’s personality is demonstrated by a dual status for those born in French Polynesia and those who have lived here for a number of years — both have a French Polynesian citizenship and have the French nationality.
Finally, the State has “head of state” responsibilities; in other words, the most important responsibilities — defense, justice, law and order, worldwide international responsibility and the currency. All other responsibilities are those of French Polynesia, or can be transferred to it.
The autonomy concept, a modern and innovative solution to a very old problem that the institutional French system had badly resolved in the past, was progressively finalized with a constant dialog between the Polynesian Government and the French Government.
Its application has allowed for an unprecedented economic, social and cultural development of French Polynesia, based on a partnership between the State and the people of French Polynesia.
On the one hand, the State has offered its guarantee of national solidarity and worldwide security, while on the other hand it has been the will of the people of French Polynesia to advance their own resources

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TERRITORIAL FLAG:
(Courtesy of French Polynesia Government Presidency)

A symbol of freedom, recognition and rallying all the people of French Polynesia, the flag sets the Territory’s identity at all official gatherings and events, both locally and internationally.
The Assembly reporters who presented a resolution project on Nov. 20th, 1984, explaining the choice of design for the Tahitian flag declared:
“For Tahiti & Her Islands this flag symbolizes, once and for all and for the future generations, the spirit of Freedom, Responsibility and Initiative of people facing the future and attached to its Dignity and Fulfillment, through its traditional values.”
The flag is permanently on display in front of institutional buildings (Presidency, Assembly, Economic, Social and Cultural Council) as well as government buildings and monuments during official ceremonies. The flag is raised at the Presidency during Council of Ministers meetings held each Wednesday.
The Territorial Government decree of Dec. 4, 1985 governing the display of the flag stipulates that the flags of the archipelagoes and islands of French Polynesia may be flown next to the Territorial and National flags.

The flag of French Polynesia is rectangular, measuring 1 meter (3.28 ft.) by 1.5 meters (4.9 ft.). It has three strips of colors—red, white and red—the entire length of the flag. The white central strip is twice as wide as the two red strips. The center of the flag presents the symbol of French Polynesia, a white circle 43 centimeters (16.9 inches) in diameter that is filled with a Polynesian canoe with red sails. The canoe and sails are outlined in brown, as are two figurines atop each of the two prows and five designs on the platform between the two canoe hulls. Those designs represent the five archipelagos of French Polynesia.
The canoe is set against a sun depicted by 10 golden rays, which represent life. The canoe sits in a sky blue sea depicted by five rows of waves, the ocean representing abundance.

Coat of Arms:

On November 23rd, 1984, the Assembly of French Polynesia officially adopted the Polynesian sailing canoe, as the Territory’s symbol of essential values for the people of Tahiti & Her Islands. This second symbol, the coat of arms, testifies the Territory’s attachment to ancestral values and serves as a guide, for the present and the future.
The Assembly meeting that adopted the resolution on the coat of arms referred to traditional values by noting that the canoe “is an indispensable tool of subsistence for fishing”, but it is also “the imperative means of transportation and communication between the islands”.
The canoe is still a symbol of a past when it was “a ceremonial and conquest vessel” during the sacred period of kings and great chiefs, and played a major role in the long migrations and the life of Polynesians, the people of the sea.
Today, the Polynesian society is often compared to this canoe: the democratic emblem translates the choice of a social organization, based on the virtues of courage, self-sacrifice and solidarity. The coat of arms is part of French Polynesia’s flag and seal.

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TERRITORIAL ANTHEM:
(Courtesy of French Polynesia Government Presidency)

Sung from the heart to show the love that the people of Tahiti & Her Islands have for their country, the Territorial Anthem “Ia Ora ‘O Tahiti Nui” was chosen from among 17 works during a competition launched by the Council of Ministers on May 17, 1992. The president of the jury was the government’s cultural minister. The French Polynesia Assembly adopted this composition as the Territory’s official anthem during its June 10, 1993 session.
“Ia Ora ‘O Tahiti Nui” is sung, of course, every June 29, during the Internal Autonomy Festival. The anthem, which represents the people of Tahiti & Her Islands, is sung or played within the four corners of the Pacific each time that French Polynesia participates in an international meeting. The anthem was composed and written by Maeva Bougues, Irmine Tehei, Angèle Terorotua, Johanna Nouveau, Patrick Amaru, Louis Mamatui and Jean-Pierre Célestin. They all agreed to give the Territory all royalties from the anthem.

'Ua rahu te atua (i) to'u 'ai'a
Hono no'ano'a o te motu rau
Heihei i te pua ri'i au é
E firi nape morohi 'ore
'O ta'u ia e fa'ateniteni nei
Te Tuoro nei te reo here
O te hui'a
'A hi'i to aroha
'Ia ora o Tahiti Nui é
 

Listen to the Territorial Anthem
"Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui"
sung by Esther Tefana.
(Requires RealAudio)
(3mn40)

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CITYHALLS of TAHITI:

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CITYHALLS of the ISLANDS:

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Some information courtesy of the Presidence of French Polynesia