French Polynesia's president Edouard Fritch has announced he is setting up his own political party.
Edouard Fritch Photo: RNZ / Walter Zweifel
This follows moves this week to expel him from Gaston Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira party.
Mr Fritch says he wants to build a new political family and his 35 year membership of Tahoeraa was finished.
Relations between Mr Fritch and the 84 year old former president have been steadily worsening since Mr Fritch replaced the convicted Flosse as the territory's president a year ago.
This is despite Flosse having repeatedly designated Mr Fritch, who is his former son-in-law, as his successor.
Mr Fritch said he was not interested in attending a council meeting of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira on Friday where the decision was expected to be confirmed.
