French Polynesian politician
Antony Daniel Teva Géros (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃tɔni danjɛl teva ʒeʁɔs]; 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.
Early life
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
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
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
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