French Polynesia's To Tatou Aia Party leader, Gaston Tong Sang, has explained his decision to try to oust the government to which his party belonged.
Mr Tong Sang lodged a motion of no confidence in the Oscar Temaru-led administration, saying action was needed because of job losses, the decline in tourism and the fall-off in exports.
To Tatou Aia ministers have resigned as a result.
Mr Tong Sang has the support of a group of outer island assembly members and the opposition Tahoeraa Huiraatira whose leader, Gaston Flosse, is in jail as part of a probe into alleged corruption.
If successful, the motion will see the return of Mr Tong Sang to the presidency less than nine months after he resigned from the post.
The coalition government has been plagued by disagreements for weeks as the assembly struggles to finalise a 2010 budget.
The new government would be the fourth since last year's early general election.
