France welcomes new French Polynesian president
Updated
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has congratulated the newly-elected French Polynesian President Gaston Tong Sang, saying his election reflects the democratic choice of the people.
Oceania Flash reports that President Sarkozy spoke to Mr Tong Sang by telephone, and expressed his trust in Mr Tong Sang's ability to unite all French Polynesians without any discrimination.
On Wednesday, French Polynesia's parliamentary assembly passed a motion of no confidence in Gaston Flosse and placed Mr Tong Sang in power.
Our Pacific correspondent, Campbell Cooney, says Mr Tong Sang was able to gain the support of 29 of the 57 members of the French Territory's Assembly, and have his one time political ally, now bitter enemy, Gaston Flosse, thrown out of office.
It was the fourth time the presidency had changed hands in the past 18 months.
Tahiti Presse editor in chief, Thibault Marais, has warned there is no guarantee that Wednesay's no-confidence vote will mark the end of political upheaval in French Polynesia.
"Two things could happen: either in the days or weeks to come, some MPs will join Mr Tong Sang's majority and we'll have a much larger majority, where he could have maybe one, two or three seats to get 30 or 31 seats, maybe," he said.
"But on the other hand there may be another no confidence vote in a few weeks, or a few months by Mr Flosse or Mr Temaru to try to topple again Mr Tong Sang."
