Pacific

Three seats challenged after Wallis election

15:30 pm on 20 April 2017

Three petitions have been lodged in Wallis and Futuna, challenging the result of last month's territorial election.

Photo: AFP

Nine members were re-elected in the 20-seat assembly for a five-year term.

However, the public broadcaster said two challenges from Wallis and one from Futuna are now with the French administration which will forward them to a top court in Paris.

The report said two complaints were about alleged irregularities in the polling as well as problems with proxy votes.

One complainant declined to give details.

It is expected to take about half a year to examine the alleged wrongdoing and get a ruling.

Two weeks ago, the assembly elected a French-born businessman David Verge as assembly president.

Mr Verge was first elected to the assembly in 2012 but because of campaign finance irregularities, he lost his seat a year later and was declared ineligible to hold office for a year.

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