From the Tahiti Nui TV debate for tjhe French Polynesian elections Photo: Tahiti Nui TV
The French Polynesian government has taken issue with the pre-election television debates after the Tahoeraa Huiraatira party decided against fielding its top candidate Geffry Salmon.
The government spokesman and Tapura Huiraatira politician Jean-Christophe Bouissou says Mr Salmon is not up to job yet his party wants him to top the list.
In a debate on public television, the Tahoeraa was represented by its leader Gaston Flosse who is ineligible to run for office until 2019 because of a corruption conviction.
Mr Bouissou told La Depeche that nobody knows what Mr Salmon thinks nor why he is not joining any debate.
He also said it's unclear how the Tahoeraa would want to deliver its programme if it already threatens to push for a dissolution of the assembly next year.
This would coincide with the end of the five-year ineligibility period imposed on Gaston Flosse who could then try to return to the assembly.
During the televised debate he wondered why the Tapura Huiraatira had fielded the vice-president and not the president Edouard Fritch.
Mr Fritch had earlier rebuffed a challenge by Flosse, saying he won't debate with someone who is not a candidate.
He said he would debate with Mr Salmon.
Mr Fritch, who is Flosse's former son-in-law, succeeded Flosse as president in 2014, and since then the two have fallen out, with Mr Fritch forming a new party for the election on 22nd April.
