7 Nov 2006

French Polynesian Government majority in doubt as four MPs may swap sides

7:27 pm on 7 November 2006

A French Polynesian assembly member, Jean-Alain Frebault, says the ball is now in the goverment's court as he and three other outer island MPs appear to consider their continued support for the Oscar Temaru-led government.

The MPs joined the government side during political turmoil in April but have now again held meetings with the opposition

Four MPs from French Polynesia's outer islands say they may have been mistaken in entering a partnership with the coalition led by the President, Oscar Temaru.

They have expressed their unhappiness at the state of affairs in the territory and they say a dialogue with the French state is vital.

One of them, Jean-Alain Frebault, spoke after this morning's planned budget session failed to take place because of a lack of a quorum.

The MPs have recently held talks with the opposition's Gaston Flosse and Emile Vernaudon, who in April failed in their bid to oust the government because some of the outer island MPs had defected from the opposition to the government.

Mr Frebault has spoken out against Mr Temaru's call to Pacific Island Forum members to get French Polynesia put back on the UN list of territories to be decolonised.