8 Dec 2004

Rump of French Polynesia Assembly to meet today

11:13 am on 8 December 2004

The remaining members of French Polynesia's assembly have been called to a meeting today as the territory's political crisis is about to enter its third month.

The session has been called by the acting speaker, Hiro Tefaarere, a month after the French supreme court annulled the election in May of 37 of the assembly's 57 seats.

Those left in the parliament are from outside the Tahiti/Moorea electorate and 17 of them are members of President Gaston Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party.

Mr Tefaarere says among the issues to be raised is the petition signed by more than 40,000 people wanting a dissolution of the assembly to have fresh elections.

France has ignored the petition but activitsts calling themselves the Popular Movement maintain blockades of key public buildings to back their demand for a dissolution of the assembly.