A pro-independence party won Sunday’s territorial election in French Polynesia, a victory that guarantees them leadership of the South Pacific community for five years and paves the way for a possible referendum on self-determination, AFP reports:

According to preliminary results, the pro-independence list led by former French Polynesian President Oscar Temaru won 44.2 percent of the vote, compared to 38.5 percent for former President Eduard Fritsch’s list.

Those in favor of independence from France thus enjoy an absolute majority in the Territorial Assembly, with 38 of the 57 seats, and are in a strong position to negotiate a decolonization process and a referendum on self-determination for the territory, which is the size of Europe and includes five archipelagos located 17 thousand km from Paris.

According to the High Commission, the third list, the former vice-president-autonomist Nuihau Laurei, won 17.1% of the vote.

France has not yet adopted a referendum on independence

“Polynesians voted for change. The government takes note of these democratic elections,” French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin responded on Twitter.

“We will work with the newly elected majority with commitment and persistence to continue to improve the everyday lives of our fellow Polynesians.”

France has always refused to hold a referendum on self-determination in this community.

This is the first time separatists have had a solid majority in Polynesia.

Torn by alliances and ruptures between 2004 and 2013, they never held power for a full term. After internal autonomy in 1984, those who want to remain in France have almost continuously held power outside these nine years of instability.

“We are disappointed because the majority of Polynesians are autonomists, while the person in the upcoming assembly will be pro-independence. We accept it,” Fritch told the media after his defeat.

“Our country is autonomous, and we will fight for it to remain so in the republic,” he added.

(article photo: ©Mfron|Dreamstime.com)