Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: based on French system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul
RONCIERE (since NA 1994)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of
the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian
Liberation Front 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be held NA September 1998); results—percent of vote by
party—NA; seats by party—UC 1; two seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 25 May—1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
results—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—People's Rally
for the Republic (Gaullist) 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the
First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of
Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders: People's Rally for the Republic
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ,
ICFTU, SPC, WMO