Partial legislative elections: and two elected autonomous representatives!

Following Moerani Frébault, who was elected last week after the first round of elections in the first constituency, Nicole Sanquer in the second constituency did a great job of imposing herself largely on the outgoing Tavini huiraatira (Independent Party) Steve Chailloux, giving the Polynesian Autonomous Front a clear victory.

Tapura huiraatira, A Here Ia Porinetia by Edouard Fritch and Amuitahiraa o te nunaa maohi by Gaston Flosse, despite defeating Pascale Haiti honorably in the third round, it was right to join forces to defeat the candidate separatists (2 out of 3) from the Palais Bourbon. The union worked with full respect for President Brosson and the Polynesians and adhered to this new political proposal, which is undoubtedly a promising start from the perspective of the upcoming elections.

In the second round, first, when the first results of the Austral Islands were announced, the victory was quickly established, with Nicole Sanquer reaching four of the five islands, Raivavae and her tavana Bruno Florés remaining loyal to the blue flag, with 338 votes against 136.

In the Windward Islands, the autonomist, who returns for a second time as councillor after her first term from 2017 to 2022, won in all municipalities except Papara, where, not surprisingly, Steve Chailloux was ahead of her by more than two hundred votes.

But Nicole Sankel’s best spot is undoubtedly Paea, the stronghold of local council president Anthony Geros, the Taverni party’s No. 2. With the support of his colleague, municipal elected official Tepuaraurii Teriitahi (Opposite photo)Despite the fact that the municipality invested considerable resources in finding abstentions in the second round of voting, she received a total of 2,489 votes, while Chaillot received 2,292. Finally, as expected, in the Mahina commune of Nicole Sanquer, the autonomist camp achieved the best result: 3,180 votes to 1,567 for her opponent.

In the end, Nicole Sanquer received a total of 17,835 votes, while Chailloux received 14,083 votes.

On the other hand, it was disappointing that in the third round, Pascale Haiti-Flosse of Amuitahiraa o te nunaa maohi failed to dislodge Merana Reid-Arbelot, the deputy of the outgoing Tavini, Moetai Brotherson. Let me just say that it is not ridiculous at all, losing by 592 votes, and we have to wait for the verdict of the ballot boxes in Faa’a and Puna’a, the two cities where the population lives the most.

In the first election, Oscar Temaru, a stronghold that he had held for about four decades, and Pascale Haiti received 3,202 votes, “only” defeating Reid-Arbelot’s 5,487. This difference was largely made up by the mobilization of Punaauia (5,992 to 3,965). But what the autonomist camp particularly lacked on this Saturday, July 6, 2024, were the voters of the Leeward Islands, who, with the exception of Bora Bora and Maupiti, cast most of their votes for the separatists. This is despite the fact that most of the Tahuaine (parts of the communes of Huahine, Uturoa, Tumara and Taputapuatea) are now included in the Tapura huiraatira.

In the end, Mereana Reid-Arbelot was re-elected as councillor with 17,308 votes against Pascale Haiti-Flosse’s 16,716.