AFP - The pro-independence speaker of the French Polynesian assembly, Oscar Temaru, was elected president of the South Pacific archipelago Thursday, the fourth time he has held the office since 2004.
   
Temaru, 64, who becomes the ninth president French Polynesia has had in the past five years, was elected by 37 votes to 20 in the 57-seat parliament.
   
He takes over from Gaston Tong Sang, who stepped down last week ahead of a censure motion against his government by pro-independence lawmakers.
   
Temaru now has five days to try to form a new administration.
   
Tong Sang's fragile government had been in trouble for two months, during which six members of his coalition quit.
   
In office since April 2008, he met with Temaru and tried unsuccessfully to create a government of national unity and set the stage for a fresh round of elections.
   
French Polynesia, an overseas French territory whose main and best known island is Tahiti, has been racked by political instability which has brought frequent changes of government.
   
The archipelago of 115 islands has a population of about 265,000.