Photo: AFP

Edouard Fritch has been re-elected as French Polynesia's president for a five-year term.

In the territorial assembly, Mr Fritch of the Tapura Huiraatira received the backing of 39 of the 57 members.

He defeated the challenges of Geffry Salmon of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party and of the five-time president Oscar Temaru of the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira Party.

In a surprise development, an as yet unidentified Tahoeraa member also voted for Mr Fritch.

Mr Salmon received ten votes although his party has 11 members while Mr Temaru got eight votes.

In the policy speeches preceding the assembly vote, Mr Temaru sharply attacked Mr Fritch and outlined his campaign for sovereignty.

Marking five years since the UN reinscribed French Polynesia on its decolonisation list, Mr Temaru placed a UN flag on the podium.

In his speech, Mr Fritch denounced the UN for failing to send aid after last year's floods in Tahiti.

Mr Fritch first became president in 2014 when the Tahoeraa leader Gaston Flosse was forced to resign because of a corruption conviction which carried with it ineligibility to hold office.

In the past term, Mr Fritch was convicted for corruption twice and ordered to repay more than $US80,000 but has been allowed to stay in office.

Both he and Gaston Flosse are still due to stand trial for alleged abuse of public funds over making a local council provide water to Flosse's residence for free.

Yesterday, the assembly elected Gaston Tong Sang as assembly president for five years, just two months after he was given a one-year suspended jail sentence and a fine of $US20,000 for abusing public funds. </s> Federated States of Micronesia President Peter Christian, whose administration was rocked by a bribery scandal involving his family, is likley to lose the presidential seat to David W. Panuelo, chairman of the FSM Congress standing committee.

The FSM National Elections on Monday certified the results of the March 5 elections, which showed Christian’s receiving 6,716 votes against Panuelo’s 6,775 votes.

Christian’s election defeat came on the heels of the FBI’s investigation into the bribery case involving Hawaiian businessman Frank James Lyon, in which the FSM president’s son-in-law Master Halbert was implicated and charged with money-laundering.

The Hawaiian Free Press last week reported that Christian’s son Christopher Ivan Christian was also offered a “retainer fee” of $5,000.

The case involved the U.S.-funded FSM engineering contracts worth $7.8 million, which were awarded under-the-table to Lyon.

David Panuelo

(Correction: In an earlier version of this story we mistakenly identified David Panuelo as the Speaker of FSM Congress. Our apologies)

Christian was the 8th president of FSM. He was elected in 2015 succeeding Manny Mori. Under the FSM Constitution, the president and vice president, who each serves a four-year term, are first elected to the FSM Congress to the at-large seats, or four-year term.

He will remain president until Congress official selects the president and vice president in May.

There are four at large seats, one seat given to each of the four FSM states – Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae. The presidency/vice presidency is only elected among the four occupants of the at-large seats by a majority vote of all members of Congress. The remaining 10 senators of Congress serve two-year terms, and the seats are apportioned by population. The two-year term Congressmen cannot be elected to the Presidency.

The 2019 election results data to follow is certified from the FSM National Election Office, presented to the FSM Office of the President on March 8.

Kosrae State has two senators in the Congress. For the four-year at-large seat, vice president and the Yosiwo P. George received 1,824 votes while challenger Aren B. Palik received 1,814 votes.

For the two-year seat, the incumbent Paliknoa K. Welly received 2,130 votes while challenger Johnson A. Asher received 1,491 votes.

For Pohnpei Election District One, representing Kolonia, Sokehs, Sapwuahfik, Nukuoro, and Kapingamarangi, the incumbent and Honorable Ferny Perman received 2,396 votes while challenger Dr. Merlynn Abello-Alfonso received 2,136 votes.

For Pohnpei Election District Two, representing Madolenihmw and Kitti—which had four candidates—the incumbent and Dion G. Neth received 2,054 votes, while challengers Berney Martin, Herman Semes Jr., and Quincy Lawrence received 1,082 votes, 984 votes, and 942 votes respectively.

For Pohnpei Election District Three, representing Nett, U, Mwoakilloa, and Pingelap, the incumbent Esmond B. Moses received 2,543 votes while challenger Marstella Jack received 1,155 votes.

Chuuk has six senators in the Congress. For the four-year at-large seat, the incumbent Wesley W. Simina received 15,941 votes while challenger Eriano E. Eram received 3,356 votes.

For Chuuk Election District One, representing the Mortlock Islands, the incumbent Florencio S. Harper ran unopposed; he received 2,727 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Two, representing Weno, the incumbent Victor Gouland ran unopposed; he received 1,787 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Three, representing Tonoas, Uman, Fefan, Parem, and Tsis, the incumbent and Honorable Derensio S. Konman received 4,599 votes while challenger Eflove F. Mailos received 2,256 votes.

For Chuuk Election District Four, representing Tol, Fanapanges, Eot, Patta, Polle Romalum, Udot, and Wonei, the incumbent Tiwiter Aritos received 4,938 votes while challengers Smith K. Paulus and Manuel Rawit received 245 and 555 votes respectively.

For Chuuk Election District Five, representing the Halls & Western Islands, and Namonuito—which had five candidates running—the incumbent Robson U. Romolow received 1,083 votes, while challengers Arisao Aichem, Joseph Konnor Jr., Dr. Vidalino J. Raatior, and Zander Refilong received 353, 182, 684, and 461 votes respectively.

Yap State has two senators in the FSM Congress. For the At-Large seat, the incumbent Joseph. J Urusemal ran unopposed; he received 2,371 votes. For the two-year seat, the incumbent and Honorable Isaac V. Figir received 2,225 votes while challenger Fidelis Thiyer-Fanoway received 244 votes.

Pohnpei voters cast their votes in Kitti March. Photo by Richard Clark/FSMIS

In addition to the voting of the nation’s elected representatives, all voters were asked to voice their opinion on whether or not the FSM should hold a Constitutional Convention. Per FSM law, every 10 years this referendum reappears and 75 percent of the population in 75 percent of the FSM states must consent for such a convention to occur.

In Kosrae State, 1,476 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 480 voters said no; in Pohnpei State 5,948 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 2,790 voters said no; in Chuuk State 1,283 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 1,656 voters said no; and in Yap State, 1,064 voters said yes to a Constitutional Convention and 1,262 voters said no. </s> French President Emmanuel Macron’s party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority after today’s first round of voting for the National Assembly that left traditional parties in disarray. Forecasts based on partial results showed Macron continuing his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche party (Republic on the Move, REM) and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 390 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday’s second round.

“France is back,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly. “For the past month, the president has shown confidence, willingness and daring in France and on the international stage,” Philippe said, calling the result a vindication of Macron’s “winning strategy”. The vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 percent, reflecting the fatalism among Macron’s opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said.

The right-wing Republicans — who had hoped to rebound from their defeat in the presidential vote — were shown trailing in second with a predicted 80-132 seats while Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Front (FN) was forecast to garner between one and 10 seats. The FN’s result showed the party struggling to rebound from Le Pen’s bruising defeat by Macron in the presidential run-off. FN vice-president Florian Philippot admitted to “disappointment” and called on voters to “mobilise massively” for the June 18 second round.

The worst losses, however, were for the Socialists of Macron’s predecessor Francois Hollande, who were shown dropping a staggering 200 seats. Conceding the party was facing “unprecedented” losses, PS chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis appealed to voters to rally behind Macron’s rivals to avoid the president monopolising power. Parliament risked having “no real oversight powers and no democratic debate worth speaking of,” he warned. Republicans leader Francois Baroin also cautioned against all the power being “concentrated in one party”.

The estimates based on partial results showed Macron’s year-old REM and MoDem winning 32.2-32.9 percent in the first round, ahead of the Republicans on 20.9-21.5 percent and the FN on 13.1-14 percent. Few MPs are expected to be elected outright on Sunday. If no candidate wins over 50 percent, the two top-placed contenders go into the second round — along with any other candidate who garners at least 12.5 percent of registered voters. France’s youngest-ever president has been credited with restoring a lost sense of national pride since winning the top office last month at 39.

He has won praise for appointing a balanced cabinet that straddles France’s long-entrenched left-right divide and taking a leading role in Europe’s fight-back against US President Donald Trump on climate change. If the seat projections are confirmed next week, he will have a strong mandate to push through the ambitious labour, economic and social reforms he promised on the campaign trail. More than 50,000 police were on patrol during the vote, with France still jittery after a wave of jihadist attacks at home and across the Channel in Britain.

Macron, who had never held elected office before becoming president, fielded political novices in around 200 constituencies — part of his bid to rejuvenate the assembly. They include Marie Sara, a retired bullfighter, who is taking on FN stalwart Gilbert Collard in southern France and 33-year-old junior digital economy minister Mounir Mahjoubi who went up against PS boss Cambadelis in northeast Paris. Macron is also trying to usher in an era of cleaner politics. His government’s first bill proposes to ban lawmakers from employing family members or performing consultancy work while in office.

The measures follow the scandal that destroyed the presidential bid of Republicans candidate Francois Fillon, who has been charged over payments to his wife and two of his children for suspected fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. Fillon denies the charges. Macron’s party has largely avoided controversy but one of his ministers who is running for re-election in Brittany, Richard Ferrand, is being probed over a property deal involving his girlfriend. Forecasts show Le Pen’s party will struggle to win the 15 seats it would need to form a parliamentary group and help shape the assembly’s agenda.

The radical-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party of Jean-Luc Melenchon who finished fourth in the presidential race also fell short of expectations. His camp was tipped to only take 10-23 seats. Macron has urged voters to back his reform proposals including an overhaul of the rigid rules governing the job market, blamed by many economists for holding back growth. The president was economy minister in the Socialist government that began loosening the labour laws last year, sparking mass demonstrations that lasted for months.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App </s> Pacific Island leaders are pushing back against letting the French into their annual forum but Prime Minister John Key says he supports the bid.

Both New Caledonia and French Polynesia, whose foreign policy and security is controlled by France, have been vying for a seat at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

The issue is expected to generate fiery debate at the leader's retreat in Pohnpei on Saturday with several nations, including Nauru, believed to be angry at the idea of the two countries joining.

"When the French Prime Minister was in New Zealand recently I made the point that I thought there was actually a case for both of them to have admission to PIF," Key said.

"You could make a case they don't perfectly fit the criteria but in the end this is ultimately a collection of countries who get together every 12 months to discuss Pacific issues."

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said several nations were against the bid because of strong concerns regarding how their foreign policy was handled from France.

Key dismissed suggestions he supported the bid because it would prompt France to contribute aid to the region - New Zealand and Australia provide the bulk of the money at the moment.

"France has had, because of its territorial rights, a long term interest in the Pacific and it will continue to be a significant supporter of those economies," he said.

"I don't think we'll be expecting France to change from that perspective, it's more about what they can do to the overall debate of discussion that takes place."

"The debate in my opinion at the forum would be stronger for their admittance," he said.

Federated States of Micronesia President Peter Christian, who is hosting the forum in Pohnpei, also supports the French bid.

He says the forum deals with "issues with no borders yet in this particular case there are those who would like to build a wall".

One leader with a seat at the retreat who chooses not to be there is Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.

On Friday Bainimarama removed his foreign minister, Ratu Inoke, from the job and gave the portfolio to himself in a major Cabinet reshuffle.

Inoke is already at PIF representing Fiji in place of his leader, who hasn't attended since he was banned in 2009 following a military coup.

Key said he was personally disappointed about Inoke's demotion as he'd found his a "really effective person to deal with".

"We've had a series of issues over the last decade with Fiji where it's been important to have open dialogue."

Another issue expected to be raised at the leader's retreat is the ongoing human rights abuses in West Papua.

The issue was widely debated at PIF in Papua New Guinea last year and ended with the host Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill, being asked to discuss with Indonesian officials the possibility of a fact-finding mission.

That mission has never gone ahead and given the close ties between some Pacific nations, in particular Fiji, and Indonesia, it's unlikely to get across the line.

McCully said last year's approach wasn't overly "productive" and it's likely any conversations with Indonesian officials would be handed over to foreign ministers to pursue. </s> PALIKIR, 13 MAY 2019 (FSMIS) – The 21st Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has elected H.E David W. Panuelo as its ninth President, during its First Regular Session on 11 May. Prior to his election, President Panuelo was elected Senator At-Large for Pohnpei State. Also elected was the new Vice President, the […] </s> French President Emmanuel Macron's party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority, after first round of voting for the National Assembly left traditional parties in disarray.

Projections showed Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday's second round.

Such a share would give Macron one of the biggest parliamentary majorities for 60 years.

"For the past month, the president has shown confidence, willingness and daring in France and on the international stage," Philippe said, calling the result a vindication of Macron's "winning strategy".

But the vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 per cent, possibly reflecting fatalism among Macron's opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said.

The right-wing Republicans -- who had hoped to rebound from their humiliation in the presidential vote -- were shown trailing in second with a predicted 70-130 seats while Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front (FN) was forecast to garner between one and 10 seats.

The FN's result showed the party is struggling to rebound from Le Pen's bruising defeat by Macron in the presidential run-off.

The FN's deputy leader Florian Philippot admitted to "disappointment" and called on voters to "mobilise massively" for the second round.

The worst losses, however, were for the Socialists of Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande, who are predicted to lose a staggering 200 seats.

The party's chief Jean-Christophe Cambadelis and its failed presidential candidate Benoit Hamon both lost their seats.

Conceding that the party was facing "unprecedented" losses, Cambadelis appealed to voters to rally behind Macron's rivals to avoid the president monopolising power.

Parliament risked having "no real oversight powers and no democratic debate worth speaking of," he warned.

Former Republicans party leader Jean-Francois Cope said the results were "a disaster".

"It's the continuation of the real disaster that the presidential election was... We need to rebuild everything," he told BFMTV.

Official final results released early today showed Macron's one-year-old REM and MoDem winning 32.32 per cent in the first round, ahead of the Republicans on 21.56 per cent and the FN on 13.20 per cent.

If no candidate wins over 50 per cent, the two top-placed contenders go into the second round -- along with any other candidate who garners at least 12.5 per cent of registered voters in the district.

France's youngest-ever president at 39, Macron has gained praise for appointing a balanced cabinet that straddles the left-right divide and taking a leading role in Europe's fight-back against US President Donald Trump on climate change.

If the seat projections are confirmed next week, he will have a strong mandate to push through the ambitious labour, economic and social reforms he promised on the campaign trail.

Macron, who had never held elected office before becoming president, will also have succeeded in ushering in a younger and more diverse parliament with more women and ethnic minorities.

His party fielded political novices in around 200 constituencies.

They include Marie Sara, a retired bullfighter, who went through to a runoff against FN stalwart Gilbert Collard in southern France, and star mathematician Cedric Villani.

Macron is also trying to bring in an era of cleaner politics. His government's first bill proposes to ban lawmakers from employing family members or performing consultancy work while in office.

The measures follow the scandal that destroyed the presidential bid of Republicans candidate Francois Fillon, who has been charged over payments to his wife and two of his children for suspected fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. Fillon denies the charges.

Macron's party has largely avoided controversy but one of his ministers who is running for re-election in Brittany, Richard Ferrand, is being probed over a property deal involving his girlfriend.

Forecasts show Le Pen's party will struggle to win the 15 seats it would need to form a parliamentary group and help shape the assembly's agenda.

The radical-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party of Jean-Luc Melenchon who finished fourth in the presidential race also fell short of expectations. His camp was tipped to only take 10-23 seats.

Macron has urged voters to back his reform proposals including an overhaul of the rigid rules governing the job market, blamed by many economists for holding back growth. </s> There will be a French influence at the Pacific Islands’ Forum in Samoa next year after leaders voted to give New Caledonia and French Polynesia full membership.

At the leader’s retreat in Pohnpei on Saturday Prime Minister John Key and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull pushed the case for the two French territories to be let in, after years of knocking on the door.

“The thing I like about it is these are two countries that have quite developed economies. They’re quite active in the issues that matter - tourism, renewable energy and fisheries for instance,’’ Key said.

Fundamentally it gives the forum “more weight,’’ he said.

New Zealand changed its tune after previously agreeing with other Pacific nations that the two French territories not having control over their foreign policy and defence meant they shouldn’t be allowed full membership.

“We’ve changed our position over time,’’ Key said.

Ahead of the retreat Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully had warned that the motion probably wouldn’t pass because of opposition from members.

On Sunday McCully said he was “pleasantly surprised” leaders had worked through their differences and got it over the line so quickly.

Bubbling away behind the scenes of the forum was the chaos breaking out in Fiji where Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has had a Cabinet reshuffle and ordered for some Opposition MPs, including the leader, to be arrested.

Bainimarama isn’t at the forum in the Federated States of Micronesia after refusing to attend since he was banned in 2009 - instead he sent his foreign minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, who he's since strippped of the role while he’s in Pohnpei.

McCully met with Kubuabola on Sunday where he told him New Zealand was “very closely interested in developments in Fiji’’.

The arrests are understood to relate to “a question of whether there were permits given for a gathering at which some of these individuals were panelists,’’ he said.

“Anything restraining free speech would be a concern to the New Zealand government.’’

McCully said a lot of good things have happened since the disarray in Fiji after Bainimarama led a military coup in 2006 and “we want to keep encouraging those who move things in a good direction’’.

Key said New Zealand is closely observing what is going on and hoping it will remain calm.

“The Government won an election reasonably recently. We thought they’d just get on and run the country, they’ve got the support of the people so they don’t need to do anything particularly silly,’’ he said.

Before the forum wrapped up on Sunday Key announced a $10 million Pacific Sporting Partnerships programme aimed at getting more children in Pacific countries playing sports and being healthy.

“The long term benefits might also be that we’ll continue to have a great crop of Samoan players that can add to the mighty All Blacks from time to time,’’ Key joked to Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi.

The programme will initially focus on netball and rugby in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands.

Malielegaoi said all four nations were grateful for the support and hoped it would extend to include cricket in the future.

“Over 50 per cent of our population comprises of young people. Many are not employed but have talents in playing sport.

“Sport is no longer looked at as a leisure activity, it’s employment for our youths,’’ he said. </s> Madagascar’s top court announced results of the November 7 presidential election on Wednesday, confirming that ex-presidents Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina would be contesting a second round of the poll.

According to the High Constitutional Court, Ravalomanana garnered 35.35 percent of the vote while Rajoelina got 39.23 percent.

The result also means incumbent President Hery Rajaonarimampianina who managed just 8.82 percent will not take part in the second round, due on Dec. 19.

The country’s electoral law provides that the top two candidates advance to a second round, if no one obtains an absolute majority of fifty percent plus one vote.

We now present to you the profiles of the two candidates who have been flagged off to contest a second round of the presidential poll.

Both candidates, who have governed the Indian Island ocean before, are bitter rivals.

Ravalomanana was toppled by protests led by Rajoelina in 2009. The African Union and other international organisations described it as a coup.

Madagascar’s elected leader from 2002 until he was overthrown in 2009, Ravalomanana is known to voters as “the milkman” because he owns the country’s leading dairy conglomerate.

Following a power struggle and weeks of bloody street protests, the self-made millionaire businessmen was toppled in a military coup and replaced by Rajoelina.

He lived for years in exile in South Africa before returning to Madagascar in 2014 to mount his political comeback.

Ravalomanana, 68, says the country has gone backwards since he was ousted.

If elected, he told Reuters in an interview:

“We will rebuild everything they have destroyed, repair the roads that we built when I was president and that have not been maintained until now.”

A former disc jockey who goes locally by the nickname “TGV” after the fast French train, Rajoelina seized power from then President Marc Ravalomanana in 2009.

Known for his rapid-fire rhetoric and charisma, he became Africa’s youngest president at the age of 34.

During his four years in power, poverty and corruption grew as investors and donors cut aid.

He supported Rajaonarimampianina in the 2013 election after he agreed not run himself to help restore order.

This time, the former president is promising infrastructure development – everything from hospitals, schools and sports stadiums – and pledging to improve beaches to make them “like those of Miami and Côte d’Azur” to draw more tourists and promote job creation.

This is the first time Ravalomanana and Rajoelina are facing off at the ballot, and they both called for a higher voter turnout following Wednesday’s proclamation of results.

“I appeal to all citizens, to those who did not vote, it is not too late. The time to save Madagascar has come. Vote in the next election,’‘ Rajoelina told reporters.

“I appeal to those who did not come to vote. You have an electoral card, come and vote. The country’s future for the next five years is at stake,” said Hanitra Razafimanantsoa, vice-president of the National Assembly and a member of Ravalomanana’s TIM party.

The constitutional court reported a turnout of 53.95 percent among registered voters.

Judge Rakotoarisoa also cautioned the two hopefuls to “avoid provocations” as they headed into what is expected to be a close contest.

“The people of Madagascar do not need trouble,” he said.

Madagascar, a former French colony, is well known for its vanilla and precious redwood, and will be hoping for a peaceful election. </s> PARIS, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called on Monday for a big turnout in the second round of the Socialist primaries after a first round vote made left-wing rival Benoit Hamon frontrunner to represent the party in this year's presidential election.

Opinion polls show that no Socialist is likely to win the presidency. They make conservative Francois Fillon the favourite, and put Marine Le Pen of the far-right National Front in second place.

But they also show that a victory for Hamon in next Sunday's decisive Socialist primaries second round runoff against Valls could expose the centre ground to which Valls hopes to appeal, and thereby boost the presidential prospects of independent centrist Emmanuel Macron.

"To all those voters who believe in the Left, do not despair, mobilise," Valls said on RTL Radio. Late on Sunday he said the choice between Hamon and himself was one of "certain defeat and possible victory" in the presidential election.

Hamon, 48, a traditional leftwinger, was sacked from government by President Francois Hollande in 2014 for criticising his economic policies.

In Sunday's first round he coasted to a comfortable win ahead of Valls, 54, who represents the more business-friendly second half of Hollande's term in government.

"I think there is no chance for the left to win unless it can put forward a imaginative and powerful policy against a right that is full-on and an extreme right that is dangerous," Hamon said on France Inter radio.

Hamon won about 36 percent of the vote to Valls' 31, according to partial results. The former education minister also secured the backing of Arnaud Montebourg, another left-winger who came in third with 18 percent, and was therefore eliminated along with four other candidates.

The outcome of next Sunday's head-to-head vote remains uncertain though.

This year's primary is only the second in the history of the Socialist party and its allies. Anyone of voting age can participate, and the first-round turnout involved only between 1.6 and 1.7 million of France's 44 million-plus voters. (Reporting by Andrew Callus and Yann Le Guernigou; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
Edouard Fritch is re-elected to a second term as President of French Polynesia following the victory by his Tapura Huiraatira party in the general election. Fritch's Tapura Huiraatira won 39 of the 57 seats in the Assembly of French Polynesia.