The high commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia () is the highest representative of the French Republic in the overseas country of French Polynesia. The office is equivalent to that of a prefect () and its powers are governed by Organic Law 2004–192. The high commissioner is directly appointed by the president of the French Republic.
The high commissioner can enact local laws (known as Lois du Pays) with the countersignature of the president of French Polynesia, and must ensure their publication in the Journal Officiel de la Polynésie française. He is competent for all matters not devolved to the Government of French Polynesia. Until 1984, he had assumed the powers now devolved to and exercised by the president of French Polynesia.
The overseas minor territory of Clipperton Island falls also under the jurisdiction of the high commissioner; it is uninhabited and has no local administration.
The official residence and the office of the high commissioner are at the Haut-Commissariat in Papeete.
List of state representatives in French Polynesia The chief representative of the French Government in French Polynesia has held different titles throughout history. During the period of the protectorate of the Kingdom of Tahiti, this title reflected the political regime of France:
Commissioner of the King (1842–1848) Commissioner of the Republic (1848–1852) Commissioner of the Empire (1852–1870) Commissioner of the Republic (1870–1880)
After the final annexation of Tahiti by the French Third Republic, the Kingdom of Tahiti was dissolved and the French Establishments of Oceania were created. The state representative was titled governor until 13 July 1977, when the present title, High Commissioner of the Republic, was adopted.
Term of officeNameTitleFrench Protectorate of the Kingdom of Tahiti – Marquesas Islands annexed by the Kingdom of France8 January 18436 September 1846Armand Joseph BruatCommissioner of the King6 September 1846?? ?? 1850Charles François LavaudCommissioner of the King, later Commissioner of the Republic?? ?? 18505 September 1851Louis Adolphe BonardCommissioner of the Republic5 September 185122 Mars 1854Théogène François PageCommissioner of the Empire22 Mars 185419 May 1858Joseph Fidèl Eugène du BouzetCommissioner of the Empire19 May 185825 June 1858Jean-Marie Joseph Théodore Saisset de MarsCommissioner of the Empire25 June 185811 October 1864Louis Eugène Gaultier de La RicherieCommissioner of the Empire11 October 18646 June 1869Émile François Guillaume Clément de La RoncièreCommissioner of the Empire6 June 18691 June 1871Michel Louis Isidore de JouslardCommissioner of the Empire, later Commissioner of the Republic1 June 1871?? ?? 1873Hippolyte Auguste GirardCommissioner of the Republic?? ?? 187317 April 1876Octave Bernard Gilbert-PierreCommissioner of the Republic17 April 187625 August 1877Antoine-Léonce MichauxCommissioner of the Republic25 August 1877?? ?? 1877Joseph Henri Brunet-MilletCommissioner of the Republic?? ?? 18775 February 1878Auguste Marie Édouard d'Oncieu de la Bâthieacting Commissioner of the Republic5 February 187824 February 1880Jacques Ferdinand PlancheCommissioner of the Republic24 February 18806 September 1881Henri Isidore ChesséCommissioner of the RepublicFrench Establishments of Oceania – Tahiti and its islands annexed by the French Third Republic6 September 18818 October 1883Frédéric Jean Dorlodot des EssartsGovernor8 October 18831 December 1885Marie Nicolas François Auguste MorauGovernor1 December 18852 September 1886Delphino Moracchiniacting Governor2 September 188629 October 1889Étienne Théodore Mondésir LacascadeGovernor29 October 18891 July 1890Maurice d'Ingremardacting Governor1 July 18904 June 1893Étienne Théodore Mondésir LacascadeGovernor4 June 189324 October 1893Adolphe Jean Granier de Cassagnacacting Governor24 October 18937 December 1893Lucien Jules Léon Bommieracting Governor7 December 189329 April 1894Jean Joseph Aimé Oursacting Governor29 April 18941 April 1896Pierre Louis Clovis PapinaudGovernor1 April 189631 January 1897Gustave Pierre Théodore Galletacting Governor31 January 18971 February 1898Marie Louis Gustave GabriéGovernor1 February 189825 Mars 1899Gustave Pierre Théodore GalletGovernor25 Mars 189914 July 1899Joseph-Marie de Pousacting Governor14 July 189930 November 1899Victor François Ferdinand Reyacting Governor30 November 189919 January 1900Gustave Pierre Théodore GalletGovernor19 January 190025 February 1901Victor François Ferdinand Reyacting Governor25 February 1901?? ?? 1904Édouard Georges Théophile PetitGovernor?? ?? 19045 February 1904Victor Louis Marie Lanrezacacting Governor5 February 190420 February 1905Henri François Charles Coracting Governor20 February 190528 March 1907Philippe Émile JullienGovernor28 March 19074 December 1908Élie Adrien Édouard Charueracting Governor4 December 190812 August 1910Joseph Pascal FrançoisGovernor12 August 19106 April 1912Adrien Jules Jean BonhoureGovernor6 April 19124 August 1912Charles Hosteinacting Governor4 August 19124 August 1913Baptiste Léon Géraudacting Governor4 August 191321 September 1915William Maurice FawtierGovernor21 September 191516 April 1919Gustave-Jacques-Henri JulienGovernor16 April 191917 May 1919Simoneauacting Governor17 May 191913 February 1921Jocelyn Robertacting Governor13 February 192110 April 1921Gabriel Henri Joseph Thalyacting Governor10 April 192117 October 1921Auguste André Marius GuédèsGovernor17 October 192118 September 1922Gabriel Henri Joseph Thalyacting Governor18 September 19227 January 1927Louis Félix Marie Édouard RivetGovernor7 January 192730 April 1928Jean Baptiste Dominique Solariacting Governor30 April 192821 June 1930Joseph Louis Bougeacting Governor21 June 193018 June 1932Léonce Alphonse Noël Henri JoreGovernor18 June 193217 June 1933Alfred Léon Bouchetacting Governor17 June 19339 May 1935Michel Lucien MontagnéGovernor9 May 193517 March 1937Henri Sautotacting Governor17 March 19374 September 1940Governor4 September 194014 September 1940Édouard AhnneGeorges LagardeÉmile MartinGeorges BambridgeTeriieroo a TeriierooiteraiProvisional Government14 September 19406 November 1940Edmond MansardGovernor6 November 194016 June 1941Émile de CurtonGovernor16 June 19411 October 1941Richard BrunotGovernor1 October 1941?? June 1945Georges Louis Joseph OrselliGovernor?? June 194527 October 1946Jean-Camille Haumantacting GovernorFrench Establishments of Oceania – Overseas territory of the French Republic27 October 194610 August 1947Jean-Camille HaumantGovernor10 August 19472 April 1949Pierre Louis MaestracciGovernor2 April 1949?? ?? 1950Armand AnzianiGovernor?? ?? 195030 November 1950Louis Giraultacting Governor30 November 195028 September 1954René PetitbonGovernor28 September 195422 July 1957Jean-François TobyGovernorFrench Polynesia – Overseas territory of the French Republic22 July 19577 March 1958Jean-François TobyGovernor7 March 195825 October 1958Camille Victor Baillyacting Governor25 October 195812 December 1961Pierre René SicaudGovernor12 December 196120 January 1965Aimé GrimaldGovernor20 January 196511 March 1969Jean Charles SicuraniGovernor11 March 19691 August 1973Pierre Louis AngeliGovernor11 August 19731 January 1976Daniel VideauGovernor1 January 19761 November 1977Charles SchmittGovernor, later High Commissioner of the Republic1 November 197716 July 1981Paul CousseranHigh Commissioner of the Republic16 July 198115 January 1983Paul Noirot-CossonHigh Commissioner of the Republic15 January 19839 March 1985Alain Robert Lucien OhrelHigh Commissioner of the Republic9 March 19859 April 1986Bernard GérardHigh Commissioner of the Republic9 April 198617 November 1987Pierre Louis AngéliHigh Commissioner of the Republic17 November 19873 January 1992Jean MontpezatHigh Commissioner of the Republic3 January 19928 August 1994Michel JauHigh Commissioner of the Republic8 August 19949 October 1997Paul RoncièreHigh Commissioner of the Republic9 October 199726 October 2001Jean AribaudHigh Commissioner of the Republic26 October 200128 March 2003Michel MathieuHigh Commissioner of the RepublicFrench Polynesia – Overseas collectivity of the French Republic28 March 200327 February 2004Michel MathieuHigh Commissioner of the RepublicFrench Polynesia – Overseas country of the French Republic27 February 200418 July 2005Michel MathieuHigh Commissioner of the Republic18 July 200513 June 2008Anne BoquetHigh Commissioner of the Republic13 June 200823 December 2010Adolphe ColratHigh Commissioner of the Republic23 December 20101 August 2012Richard DidierHigh Commissioner of the Republic1 August 201222 August 2013Jean-Pierre LaflaquièreHigh Commissioner of the Republic22 August 20136 May 2016Lionel BeffreHigh Commissioner of the Republic6 May 20167 June 2019René BidalHigh Commissioner of the Republic10 July 201926 September 2022Dominique SorainHigh Commissioner of the Republic26 September 20221 September 2025Eric SpitzHigh Commissioner of the Republic1 September 2025IncumbentAlexandre RochatteHigh Commissioner of the Republic
See also
Politics of French Polynesia Kingdom of Tahiti List of monarchs of Tahiti President of French Polynesia Vice-President of French Polynesia
References