The ruling majority group in French Polynesia's territorial assembly has walked out of the chamber in protest at the pro-independence opposition showing a short video about rare earths.
The RMA coalition described the launch of the video during the extraordinary sitting as a propaganda stunt by the opposition's Oscar Temaru to advance his bid to become a candidate in next year's French presidential election.
The video highlighted Mr Temaru's efforts to secure the rights to the rare earths in the seabed which is now in the French domain.
The government side said this amounted to an abuse abetted by the assembly president who is a member of the once dominant Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party of Gaston Flosse.
The opposition insisted that it could use its time as it pleased.
French Polynesia leader Oscar Temaru. Photo: RNZI
