French Polynesia’s veteran politician, 93-year-old Gaston Flosse, announced last week he is stepping down from his position as president of his Amuitahiraa o te Nunaa Maohi party.

Flosse, known locally as “the old lion”, has been President of French Polynesia on several occasions over a span of more than 30 years.

Once known as the strongman of the French Pacific territory, he was also a member of the French government with the portfolio of Minister of State in charge of overseas territories, during the second half of the 1980s under then Prime Minister Jacques Chirac.

He was also the President of French Polynesia when, once elected President, Chirac resumed nuclear testing at the atolls of Moruroa and Fangataufa (until 1996).

The resumption triggered riots at the time in the capital Pape’ete.

With his party, then known as the Tahuiraa Huiraatia, he was a strong advocate of French Polynesia remaining a part of France, under an “autonomy” status, but over the past few years became in favour of France obtaining a new status in “association” with France.

Archive: Gaston Flosse’s iron grip in Tahiti

Flosse said he was stepping down for health reasons, but he still believes he is fit to keep contributing to his party.

“Now health is the priority. The doctor had already told me to stop at least 4 days a week, now he tells me I must stop completely,” he told journalists.

“But apart from that, I feel very good, physically and intellectually.”

The date of September 28 has been earmarked for the election of a new party president. One of the candidates is his wife, Pascale Haiti-Flosse.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz