Gaston Flosse

Life and career

Flosse was born in Rikitea, Mangareva, French Polynesia. He is of both French and Polynesian descent.

Flosse supports the current autonomy arrangement between French Polynesia and France and has led the conservative pro-autonomy and anti-independence party Tahoera'a Huiraatira (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 27 February 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, and on June 15, he left office when the parliament, the Assembly of French Polynesia (Assemblée de la Polynésie française), elected the pro-independence leader, Oscar Temaru, to the post.

On 22 October 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 13 February 2005 Flosse's party lost the parliamentary by-elections, which had been called as a compromise after pressure from Temaru's supporters. On 15 February 2005 Flosse lost the presidency again in a parliamentary confidence vote, and on 3 March 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 and has represented the territory in the National Assembly of France. He was first elected to the Senate of France on 1 October 1998.

Flosse was able to govern French Polynesia with the support of centrist parties and groupings. He and former French President Jacques Chirac had a close personal association, Chirac being a godfather to Flosse's youngest son. This relationship gave the Tahitian special access to the highest levels of power in France, which he 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 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 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.

In January 2022 Flosse declared his support for independence for French Polynesia, saying that autonomy within France had worked as long as Jacques Chirac was French president and had since been eroded.

In July 2024 he stepped down as president of the ʻĀmuitahiraʻa o te Nūnaʻa Māʻohi party.