French Polynesia's ruling majority has deferred a proposed law to make November the 20th a special day.
This comes after the centrist parties objected to it, saying that the creation of a national day doesn't sit well when the territory doesn't have sovereignty.
French Polynesia has been marking June the 29th as autonomy day following a decision taken 20 years ago by the former president, Gaston Flosse.
Tea Hirshon of the Union For Democracy says a planned vote in the assembly was put off.
"We decided to pull it out, to retrieve it for this time as we see there is no urgency and the consensus around this date is not there yet."
All but two members of the opposition boycotted the sitting in protest at the judicial probe directed at Mr Flosse over a government land purchase three years ago.
