Reports from French Polynesia say the former president Gaston Flosse wants to be enrolled for next year's territorial election.
In 1997, Gaston Flosse was a political heavyweight in French Polynesia. He had a spy agency run from his office to monitor opponents and mistresses, while the Chriac government in Paris turned a blind eye - Mr Flosse supported nuclear tests in 1995. Photo: AFP or licensors
In 2014, Flosse lost his civic rights, and consequently the presidency, over a corruption conviction which also entailed a suspended jail term.
In a second court case a year later, he received another sentence involving ineligibility to hold office for two years.
The appeal court* stated last year that the two sentences need to be served one after the other which means he won't be able to stand until July 2019.
Radio1 said Flosse has demanded to be enrolled in the town of Arue for the 2018 election which he also intends to contest as leader of the Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party.
His lawyers argued that the two sentences can be served concurrently, which would allow Flosse to return to politics next year.