The leader of a newly formed French Polynesian political party has called on the French president Emmanuel Macron to offer protection to those willing to testify about threats made by local mayors and officials.
New party fails in bid to stand in 2018 election Photo: NotreMouvement website
Dozens of aspiring candidates in this month's territorial election have been disqualified because they registered too late but they claim that officials refused to certify necessary documents in time.
Tevai Haumani of the Our Movement said the French High Commissioner in Papeete had ignored their concerns which he said he would now take to President Macron and the Constitutional Court in Paris.
Mr Haumani has called for Paris to effect change after some of his party's 73 candidates were threatened with losing their job or contract if they stayed with his party.
"The people know there is corruption everywhere. The politics are everywhere. If you want a house you need politics, if you need a contract you need politics, if you need a job you neeed politics. I want to change that," Mr Haumani said.
Tevai Haumani said those who were threatened would testify once France guaranteed their civic rights.
Several top politicians running for office have incurred corruption convictions in the current term, including the president Edouard Fritch.