The French supreme court has annulled a law passed by the French Polynesian assembly which could unseat the territorial government.
It found that there was a conflict of interest when an assembly member, Michel Yip, had taken part in a vote on black pearl taxation while being the owner of several black pearl farms.
The ruling follows a complaint by the opposition Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party of Gaston Flosse.
The court is expected to decide on a further complaint early next year on whether Mr Yip will, as a result, have to vacate his assembly seat.
Last April, Mr Yip defected to the To Tatou Aia coalition, helping it to a one-member majority that allowed it to vote out the Flosse-led government just one month into its five-year term.
If Mr Yip loses his seat, he will be replaced by the next person on the list which will be Therese Teroro Tane of the opposition.
This would deprive the government of its one-seat majority.
