Tahiti reshuffle amid assembly power struggle

12:42 pm on 9 October 2015

The French Polynesian president, Edouard Fritch, has removed two ministers for them to take up seats in the assembly as his administration struggles to pass a budget.

Frederic Riveta and Rene Temeharo have been shifted to the assembly to give the Tapura Huiraatira group two more seats in the assembly.

The group was formed after a rift within the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party which will now lose two of its assembly members to the benefit of the rival Tapura group.

The French Polynesia parliament building

The French Polynesia parliament building Photo: RNZ

The move gives the Tapura camp a total of 26 backers in the 57-member assembly while the Tahoeraa support is being reduced to 20 members.

After the last election in 2013, the Tahoeraa, led by Gaston Flosse, won two thirds of all seats.

He was removed from office last year because of a corruption conviction.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs