French Polynesia's assembly elected pro-independence Oscar Temaru as the next president following last weekend's resignation of Gaston Tong Sang, the Oceania Flash reported on Thursday.

Temaru won 37 votes of the 57 votes from his own Union for Democracy (UPLD) party and Tahoeraa Huiraatira party headed by former President Gaston Flosse.

He also received the support from one component of the former majority, which had decided to switch sides and subsequently formed into a so-called Iaora Te Fenua led by former Tong Sang ally Jean-Christophe Bouissou.

His only opponent, incumbent Gaston Tong Sang, who had resigned at the weekend to avoid a no-confidence motion after his parliamentary majority had consistently dwindled over the past few weeks, only received 20 votes from the 57 members of parliament.

Temaru has already held French Polynesia's top position four times since the May 2004 general elections.

French Polynesia is a French overseas collectivity in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, including the famous island of Tahiti.

Source:Xinhua