France's ruling party endorses French Polynesia senate candidates
Updated
France's ruling UMP party has officially endorsed French Polynesia's candidates for the forthcoming Senate elections.
French Polynesian President Gaston Tong Sang and a member of his ruling coalition were chosen last month by the president's To Tatou Ai'a coalition.
They'll form a ticket to contest the French Senate elections that'll take place in late September.
For the first time, French Polynesia will be represented in France's Upper House by two Senators, instead of only one.
Mr Tong Sang and his running mate Beatrice Vernaudon are up against Gaston Flosse, who is running for another term in the French Senate.
Mr Flosse's running mate is a 34-year-old barrister who is also a member of pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru's Union for Democracy.
