Wikipedia

Antony Géros

Antony Daniel Teva Géros (born 22 July 1956) is a French Polynesian politician and current President of the Assembly of French Polynesia. He has previously served as a Cabinet Minister, and three times as vice-president of French Polynesia. Since 2020 he has served as Mayor of Paea. He is a member of pro-independence party Tavini Huiraatira.

Antony Géros
Géros in 2023
President of the Assembly of French Polynesia
Assumed office
11 May 2023
Preceded byGaston Tong Sang
In office
14 April 2005 – 13 April 2006
Preceded byHirohiti Tefaarere
Succeeded byPhilip Schyle
In office
3 June 2004 – 16 November 2004
Preceded byLucette Taero
Succeeded byHirohiti Tefaarere
Mayor of Paea
Assumed office
3 July 2020
Preceded byJacquie Graffe
Succeeded byHirohiti Tefaarere
Vice-President of French Polynesia
In office
1 April 2011 – 17 May 2013
PresidentOscar Temaru
Preceded byTearii Alpha
Succeeded byNuihau Laurey
In office
16 February 2009 – 24 November 2009
PresidentOscar Temaru
Preceded byJules Ienfa
Succeeded byÉdouard Fritch
In office
13 September 2007 – 23 February 2008
PresidentOscar Temaru
Preceded byTemauri Foster
Succeeded byÉdouard Fritch
Member of the French Polynesian Assembly
for Windward Isles 2
Assumed office
12 November 1999
Personal details
Born (1956-07-22) 22 July 1956 (age 67)[1]
Papeete, French Polynesia[1]
Political partyUnion for Democracy
Tavini Huiraatira

Early life edit

Géros was born in Papeete and worked as secretary of the town of Faaa before entering politics.[1] He joined the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira party in 1986, and has served on the municipal council of Paea since 1995.[2] He first entered the Assembly of French Polynesia in November 1999 as a replacement for Alexandre Léontieff, who had been convicted of corruption.[1] He was re-elected at the 2001 election.[1]

President of the Assembly of French Polynesia edit

Géros was elected as President of the Assembly following the 2004 French Polynesian legislative election, winning by a single vote over Emile Vernaudun.[3] Following his election he controversially installed a crucifix in the Assembly, resulting in the Greens leaving the Union for Democracy coalition.[4] The crucifix was removed by President Oscar Temaru in September 2004.[5] he was replaced by his deputy Hirohiti Tefaarere after the French Council of State annulled the 2004 election in November 2004.[6][7] He was re-elected to the Assembly in the resulting by-elections, and re-elected as President of the Assembly in the second round of voting.[8] He was replaced by Philip Schyle at the end of his one-year term in 2006, losing by a single vote.[9]

Cabinet Minister edit

Following Oscar Temaru's re-election as President of French Polynesia in September 2007 Géros joined his cabinet as Vice-President and Minister of Finance.[10] In December 2007 his budget failed to pass the Assembly.[11] He ran again for Assembly President following the 2008 French Polynesian legislative election, but lost to Édouard Fritch.[12] Two days later a power-sharing agreement with Tahoeraa Huiraatira saw Gaston Flosse re-elected as President,[13] with Géros joining his cabinet as Lands Minister.[14] He resigned as a Minister in April 2008 after Flosse lost a confidence vote in the Assembly, returning to the Assembly in July 2008.[15] He served as vice-President in Temaru's fourth government from February to November 2009, and again in Temaru's fifth government from April 2011 to May 2013.[16][17][18] In September 2012 he replaced Pierre Frébault as Minister of Finance in a cabinet reshuffle.[19]

He was re-elected to the Assembly at the 2013 election, and was the Union For Democracy's candidate for President.[20] Following the unseating of Édouard Fritch for corruption in September 2014 he again stood unsuccessfully for Assembly President, losing to Marcel Tuihani.[21]

He was re-elected again at the 2018 election.[22] Following the unseating of Oscar Temaru for breaching election campaign rules, he became leader of the Tavini Huiraatira in the Assembly.[23] He later criticised the French courts for being manipulated by the government and punishing Temaru for seeking justice for French Polynesia before the International Criminal Court.[24]

In June 2020 he was elected mayor of Paea.[25][26] In November 2020 he was elected President of the Superior Council of Municipal Civil Service.[27]

He was re-elected to the Assembly in the 2023 election.[28] On 11 May 2023 he was elected President of the Assembly for the third time, with 41 votes in favour and 16 abstentions.[29]

Political views edit

Géros supported the restoration of French Polynesia to the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, and supports French Polynesian independence as a way of recognising the rights of the Maohi people.[30] he has repeatedly criticised France's refusal to engage with the United nations decolonization process.[31]

In 2010 he described French nuclear weapons testing at Moruroa as a crime against the people of Polynesia.[32]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Antony GEROS" (in French). Assemblée de la Polynésie française. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Tony Géros à Paea, la 5e fois sera-t-elle la bonne ?" (in French). Radio 1. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  3. ^ "French Polynesia Assembly elects its new President". RNZ. 4 June 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Green party in French Polynesia denounces new government's policies". RNZ. 23 August 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  5. ^ "French Polynesian President takes down crucifix from Assembly". RNZ. 20 September 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  6. ^ "Décision N°268543" (in French). Conseil d'État. 15 November 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Ex-speaker in French Polynesia questions Paris crisis meeting". RNZ. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  8. ^ "French Polynesian assembly elects Geros as speaker". RNZ. 15 April 2005. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  9. ^ "French Polynesian Assembly elects new Assembly President". RNZ. 14 April 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  10. ^ "French Polynesia's Temaru presents new government". RNZ. 20 September 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  11. ^ "French Polynesian assembly fails to pass 2008 budget". RNZ. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Edouard Fritch re-elected as French Polynesia assembly president". RNZ. 22 February 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Flosse wins French Polynesian presidency". RNZ. 24 February 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  14. ^ "President Flosse announces French Polynesian coalition government line-up". RNZ. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Eight French Polynesian assembly members replaced". RNZ. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Temaru presents new French Polynesia government". RNZ. 6 April 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Delayed French Polynesia assembly sitting". RNZ. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  18. ^ "Oscar Temaru a présenté la composition de son gouvernement" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  19. ^ "Frébault débarqué des Finances au profit de Géros" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Flosse elected as French Polynesia president for fifth time". RNZ. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Tuihani new French assembly president". RNZ. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Territoriales 2018 : Le nouveau visage de l'Assemblée" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  23. ^ ""Oscar Temaru va continuer à faire entendre sa voix"" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  24. ^ "France still coming under fire for removing Temaru from Assembly". RNZ. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  25. ^ "French Polynesia completes second round of municipal elections". RNZ. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  26. ^ "Antony Géros décroche Paea" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Antony Géros nouveau président du Conseil supérieur de la FPC" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  28. ^ "La nouvelle composition de l'assemblée" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Tony Géros élu président de l'assemblée de la Polynésie française" (in French). Radio1. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  30. ^ "Paris asked to hold French Polynesia independence referendum". RNZ. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  31. ^ "French Polynesia's pro-independence unhappy with France at UN". RNZ. 16 October 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  32. ^ "Suggestion to declare French Polynesia independent in order to challenge compensation law". RNZ. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
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