Édouard Fritch
| Édouard Fritch | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| President of French Polynesia | |
|
Assumed office September 12, 2014 |
|
| Preceded by |
Gaston Flosse Nuihau Laurey (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1 April 1952 Papeete, French Polynesia |
| Political party | Tapura Huiraatira |
| Profession | Engineer |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Édouard Fritch (born January 4, 1952 in Papeete, Tahiti) is a French Polynesian politician and since September 2014 is president of French Polynesia. Previously he has served as the Speaker of the Assembly of French Polynesia from April 12, 2007 to February 2008, and from February to April 2009. Fritch is co-President of Tahoeraa Huiraatira, a pro-French political party.
Fritch became a member of the Assembly of French Polynesia in 1986. He was reelected in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2013.
He served as minister in Polynesian government several times from 1984 to 2011. From 1995 to 2005, and again from 2009 to 2011, he was vice-president of the government.
From 2000 to 2008, he was mayor of Pirae, succeeding to his father in law Gaston Flosse. He lost elections in 2008, but remains municipal councillor.
The French Polynesian legislative election, 2008 took place on January 27, 2008, and February 10, 2008. The pro-French political of former President Gaston Tong Sang, O Porinetia To Tatou Ai'a, secured 27 of the 57 seats in the new French Polynesian Assembly. Fritch's Tahoeraa Huiraatira party won 10 seats.
Negotiations between Fritch and Tong Sang reportedly broke down earlier in the week of February 17. Tong Sang said that he was prepared to offer Fritch's Tahoeraa Huiraatira party the Speaker of the Assembly, as well as 4 of the 15 ministerial posts, should he form a new government. Fritch refused Tong Sang's offer, saying that he wanted no less than five ministerial positions.
However, the two sides finally reached an eleventh-hour deal between Tong Sang's O Porinetia To Tatou Ai'a party and the Tahoeraa Huiraatira to form a new pro-French coalition in the Assembly. On Thursday, February 21, 2008, Tong Sang announced that he had offered Fritch's Tahoeraa Huiraatira five ministerial positions, which Fritch had wanted, plus the Speakership of the Assembly and the chairmanships of three parliamentary committees.
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