French Polynesia's president Edouard Fritch has been challenged, for a second time this week, to a televised pre-election debate by a former president Gaston Flosse.
Flosse, who is the leader of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira party, has written a new open letter to Mr Fritch after he apparently rejected his first approach.
He said he knew Mr Fritch was going to say no to a debate.
Flosse, whose party had won most seats in the last election, is barred from public office until 2019 because of two corruption convictions.
He has chosen a former minister Geffry Salmon to top the Tahoeraa list in next month's election.
Gaston Flosse Photo: AFP
Flosse said it was not true that he is Mr Salmon's special advisor but said he would become that once Mr Salmon has been elected president.
In his first letter, Flosse said in recent years there had been few occasions for him and Mr Fritch to debate their ideas.
He said he wanted to debate policies as 55 percent of people now live in poverty.
