Several French Polynesian government ministers have sent a joint letter to their party leader, Gaston Flosse, advising him not to expel four members, including the vice-president, Nuihau Laurey.
Photo: RNZ
This comes ahead of tonight's meeting of the ruling Tahoeraa Huiraatia which is expected to formalise their expulsion after two of them announced plans to stand in next month's French Senate election.
Flosse says the party has already chosen its two candidates and therefore Mr Laurey and Lana Tetuanui are defying the party.
The letter, signed by among others the president, Edouard Fritch, says those risking expulsion will be standing as independents.
It warns that an expulsion could have grave consequences for the party and its majority in the assembly, pointing to the past decade of political instability.