Polynesian separatists lose power

Temaru won an "unexpected" victory in May elections

French Polynesia's first separatist government, which had been in power for just four months, has been ousted in a parliamentary vote of censure.

Oscar Temaru's government faced two motions of censure, which were adopted by 29 votes out of 57.

They were tabled by opposition leader Gaston Flosse's party. He had been in office for almost two decades.

The territorial assembly is to meet within the next two weeks to elect a new president.

The vote came at the end of two days of fraught debates in the assembly, which included a knife attack apparently targeting Senator Flosse on Friday.

Mr Flosse has not said whether he would consider running to lead the territory.

'Unexpected victory'

Mr Flosse lost territorial assembly elections in May to Mr Temaru, whose party won a narrow victory with 27 seats out of 57.

Mr Temaru, who described the election result as "unexpected", went on to form a governing coalition with three remaining deputies and assumed power in June.

He said at the time he would hold firm to his ideal of independence from France, but added it might be 20 years before the conditions were right.

France retains control of law enforcement, defence and the money supply, but has allowed more autonomy in French Polynesia, which groups 118 islands.

France is represented by a high commissioner appointed by Paris.