Transcript
WALTER ZWEIFEL: "The French elections are twinned with a tacit vote for local parties because some politicians formally or informally endorse French candidates. This means a vote for a certain candidate is also interpreted as a vote for the local party, and therefore the results in French Polynesia and New Caledonia often deviate wildly from how people in France vote.
With voting imminent, four candidates Marine Le Pen, Francois Fillon, Emmanuel Macron and Jean-Luc Melenchon are within a tight band in the various opinion polls. Given that about a third of voters are undecided, the outcome is uncertain like never before.
SALLY ROUND: How is this election viewed in New Caledonia?
WZ: Everybody knows that the next president will oversee the independence referendum next year. Preparations have been slow and there are voices calling for a decision to be deferred again. However, the French state is committed to holding the vote and none of the candidates has suggested it shouldn't go ahead. In the past, New Caledonia's voters have been among the strongest supporters of the centre-right Republicans, and local leaders are now in the main behind Mr Fillon. The pro-independence Caledonian Union has not involved itself in the election as a sign that it wants to steer away from France. Palika, another pro-independence party, has called for support of the Socialists because the major accords that brought stability were reached under their guidance.
SR: How come in French Polynesia, Marine le Pen is being pushed by a major party?
WZ: In Tahiti's proxy politics, Gaston Flosse of the Tahoeraa was rebuffed by Alain Juppe last year and then sided with Nicolas Sarkozy for the primaries who then lost out. After Flosse's rivals, that is the ruling party, came out in favour of Mr Fillon, Flosse latched on Marine Le Pen's campaign. This is a controversial move and Flosse is adamant his support has nothing to do with her being the leader of the National Front. For the pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru, the election is akin to a non-event now and he has told his supporters to ignore it. As we know, he tried but failed to be a candidate himself.
SR: Why did he want to stand? How did he rate his chances?
WZ: It seems that he believed to be able to get enough support. He didn't want to become the president of France but get a France-wide media platform to lay out his quest for independence. And he said he wanted to win most votes in Tahiti to give him a mandate to make a declaration of sovereignty.
SR: And what are the candidates' stances on French Polynesia?
WZ: In general, there is support to compensate nuclear test victims. On independence, Mr Fillon is opposed to a loosening of ties which Flosse seems to get with Marine Le Pen. Emmanuel Macron has promised more funding, and although the comment was not directed at Tahiti, he said France's colonisation was a crime against humanity. This has left many shocked and speechless. And it doesn't mean that as president he would change policy.
