Pacific

Wallis and Futuna retains senator

06:10 am on 29 September 2014

Wallis and Futuna has confirmed Robert Laufoaulu as the territory's sole member of the French Senate.

The territory's 22-strong electoral college gave him 68 percent of the votes.

In French Polynesia, the electoral college is today due to choose the territory's two members.

The choice will be made by an electoral college of just under 700, made up of assembly members, mayors and local councillors.

12 candidates are contesting the positions, which are widely tipped to be filled by the ruling Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party's two nominees.

They are Iriti Teura and Vincent Dubois, who is a lawyer and a son-in-law of the party leader, Gaston Flosse.

The pro-independence party's Richard Tuheiava is seeking re-election after winning a seat six years ago when he was endorsed by Flosse in a brief local powersharing deal.

Flosse was stripped of his Senate seat and the presidency earlier this month because of a corruption conviction.