1967 French Polynesian legislative election
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All 30 seats in the Territorial Assembly 15 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Legislative elections were held in French Polynesia on 10 September 1967 for the Territorial Assembly.[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
[edit]The Democratic Rally of the Tahitian People, which had won the previous elections in 1962, was dissolved in November 1963.[2]
Electoral system
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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 | 30 | 0 | |||
| Total votes | 24,858 | – | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 36,897 | 67.37 | |||
| Source: Assembly of French Polynesia, Pacific Islands Monthly, Saura[4] | |||||
Elected members
[edit]Aftermath
[edit]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
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g Strong vote for autonomy in French Polynesia Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1967, p25
- ^ Chronologie 1959–1977 Assembly of French Polynesia
- ^ a b c d Tahiti hotting up for lively Assembly poll Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1967, p27
- ^ a b Bruno Saura (2003) Tinito: la communauté chinoise de Tahiti : installation, structuration, intégration, p317
- ^ a b New moves on internal self-government in French Polynesia Pacific Islands Monthly, 1 December 1967, pp16–18
- ^ People Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1969, p112
- ^ Les élus de l’assemblée territoriale Assembly of French Polynesia
