French Polynesia

The most important events during the year under review were the territorial elections of late April and early May 2018, in which Edouard Fritch, after essentially ruling as a usurper for the last four years, was able to consolidate his power as the country's new strongman by receiving a democratic mandate. Besides the elections, the period remained relatively calm and without major upheavals. While the tourism economy seems to be slowly recovering, two controversial economic megaprojects remain hotly debated. On the international level, French defiance of UN resolutions on the territory appears to continue unabated under the Macron administration. Marae Taputapuatea is an outstanding example of Polynesian megalithic architecture, with walls made out of coral stone slabs of a height of up to 3.5 meters each. The temple complex also has a regional importance that transcends today's political boundaries, as it was one of the most important spiritual and cultural centers of Eastern Polynesia during the centuries before European contact.