The candidate of the French Left in next year's presidential election, Jean-Luc Melenchon, has decribed the overseas territories as the new frontier, but says little is said about it.
Speaking to public radio, Mr Melenchon says instead of looking at problems, it has to be pointed out that the overseas territories make the French homeland the world's biggest maritime power.
He says as for the rest, things are simple as people in the overseas territories should be able to live in dignity from what they earn.
Mr Melenchon says people in overseas territories want to be cared for and educated properly just like other French people do.
His comments echo those of French Polynesia's president Oscar Temaru who has highlighted that France's standing as a maritime power is based on the more than two million square kilomtres it controls in the South Pacific.
