The Socialist candidate for the French presidency, Francois Hollande, has spoken out against French Polynesia becoming independent.
This follows a challenge by the ruling UMP for him to declare his position on the decolonisation initiative taken by the French Polynesian government of Oscar Temaru.
In a French television interview rebroadcast in Tahiti, Mr Hollande confirmed the continued formal partnership of his party with the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira set up in 2004.
He says it's a political alliance aimed at winning first the presidential and then the legislative election, and not a recognition of French Polynesia's independence.
Mr Hollande says French Polynesia needs stability after too many changes of government.
The UMP as well as Marine Le Pen's National Front are strongly opposed to French Polynesia's decolonisation.
