Legislative elections were held in

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

on 10 September 1967 for the

Territorial Assembly A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

.Strong vote for autonomy in French Polynesia
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', October 1967, p25 The result was a victory for pro-autonomy parties E'a Api and Pupu Here Ai'a, which won 16 of the 30 seats.

Background

The

Democratic Rally of the Tahitian People The Democratic Rally of the Tahitian People (french: Rassemblement démocratique des populations tahitiennes, abbreviated RDPT) was a political party in French Oceania/French Polynesia. The party was led by Pouvanaa a Oopa. Political profile Pouv ...

, which had won the previous elections in 1962, was dissolved in November 1963.

Electoral system

The 30 members of the Territorial Assembly were elected from five constituencies; the

Austral Islands The Austral Islands (french: Îles Australes, officially ''Archipel des Australes;'' ty, Tuha'a Pae) are the southernmost group of islands in French Polynesia, an overseas country of the French Republic in the South Pacific. Geographically, ...

(2 seats), the

Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean , coor ...

(6), the

Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in th ...

(2), Tuamotu–

Gambier Islands The Gambier Islands ( or ) are an archipelago in French Polynesia, located at the southeast terminus of the Tuamotu archipelago. They cover an area of , and are made up of the Mangareva Islands, a group of high islands remnants of a caldera alo ...

(4) and the

Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth ...

(16).

Campaign

The main campaign issue was the question of self-governance. At one of its final meetings, the previous Assembly had debated proposals by Jean-Baptiste Céran-Jérusalémy that the territory should be an autonomous territory in the

French Community The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...

, that a new flag should be created for the territory and used alongside the French flag and that Tahitian should become a co-official language alongside French. Assembly members voted to delay the decision until after the upcoming elections.Tahiti hotting up for lively Assembly poll
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', August 1967, p27 Following the Assembly debate, two new anti-autonomy parties were formed; the Democratic Polynesian Movement and Ia Ora O Polynesia. Other anti-autonomy parties included the Tahitian Union– Union for the New Republic alliance led by Rudy Bambridge and the Tahitian Democratic Union led by Alfred Poroi. Pro-autonomy parties included E'a Api led by

Francis Sanford Francis Ariioehau Sanford (11 May 1912 – 21 December 1996) was a French Polynesian politician. He served as a member of the French National Assembly from 1967 until 1978. Early life Sanford was born in Papeete and had an American grandfather.B ...

, Pupu Here Ai'a led by

John Teariki John French "Tony" Teariki (died 5 October 1983) was a French Polynesian politician. He served as a member of the French National Assembly from 1961 to 1967, and as a member of the Territorial Assembly from 1957 until 1983. Biography Teariki was ...

and Te Oto I Te Nunaa led by Charles Poroi. A total of 33 parties or party lists contested the elections, with 18 running in the

. Pupu Here Ai'a was the only party to contest all five constituencies.

Results

Twenty of the thirty winning candidates were new to the Assembly. The five candidates from minor parties were considered pro-autonomy.

Elected members

Aftermath

Following the elections, E'a Api and Pupu Here Ai'a agreed to work together to form a government.New moves on internal self-government in French Polynesia
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', 1 December 1967, pp16–18 The new Assembly opened on 1 November and elected the five-member Council of Government; the Tahitian Democratic Union voted with the governing parties, electing Leon Assaud, Jean Roy Bambridge,

Jean Juventin Jean Juventin (9 March 1928 – 28 May 2019) was a French politician. He was mayor of Papeete from 1977 to 1995. He was also president of the Assembly of French Polynesia from 1988 to 1991 and again from 1992 to 1995 and a deputy of the National ...

, Jacques Laurey and André Lonfevre were elected. Following the death of Marcel Hart in January 1969, he was replaced by Sam Koua. Rudy Bambridge left the Assembly in March 1969 and was replaced by

Jacques Teuira Jacques "Jacky" Teuira (born 1933) is a French politician and was the President of French Polynesia from 12 February 1987 to 9 December 1987. Biography He served as the President of the Assembly of French Polynesia from April 1983 to March 198 ...

. Ah Kong Sham Koua also entered the Assembly during its term.Les élus de l’assemblée territoriale
Assembly of French Polynesia

References

{{French Polynesian elections

Elections in French Polynesia 1967 in French Polynesia September 1967 events in Oceania Election and referendum articles with incomplete results