# Benjamin Brial > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Benjamin_Brial > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Benjamin_Brial.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Brial > Source revision: 1349551094 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Benjamin Brial** (9 June 1923 – 12 November 2004) was a [Wallisian](/source/Wallis_and_Futuna) politician who represented Wallis and Futuna in the [French National Assembly](/source/National_Assembly_(France)) from 1967 to 1988 as part of the [Union of Democrats for the Republic](/source/Union_of_Democrats_for_the_Republic) and then the [Rally for the Republic](/source/Rally_for_the_Republic). He was a member of the Brial family, involved in trade and politics in Wallis and Futuna. ## Early life Brial was born in [Mata Utu](/source/Mata_Utu)[1] and is from a prominent political family. His father was [Julien Brial](/source/Julien_Brial), a merchant from the [Pyrénées-Orientales](/source/Pyr%C3%A9n%C3%A9es-Orientales), and his mother was [Aloisia Brial](/source/Aloisia_Brial), *Lavelua* (queen) of Uvéa from 1954 to 1958.[2] His brothers were [Emmanuel-Victor Brial](/source/Emmanuel-Victor_Brial), manager of the Ballande establishments in [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia), and politician [Cyprien Brial](/source/Cyprien_Brial), who served in the [Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna](/source/Territorial_Assembly_of_Wallis_and_Futuna) from 1967 to 1987. He was the uncle of politicians [Julien Brial](/source/Julien_Brial), [Victor Brial](/source/Victor_Brial) and [Sylvain Brial](/source/Sylvain_Brial), who succeeded him in politics in Wallis and Futuna at different times, and the great-uncle of New Caledonian politician [Gil Brial](/source/Gil_Brial). In 1933, his father sold his business and moved to [Nouméa](/source/Noum%C3%A9a).[2]: 230 During [World War II](/source/World_War_II) his brothers Victor-Emmanuel and Jean Brial joined the [Free French Forces](/source/Free_French_Forces) in 1941 from New Caledonia. Brial, still a minor at 19 years old, had his papers falsified and joined the Free French Forces in 1942. He boarded the sloop [*Chevreuil*](/source/''Chevreuil'') and joined the [Fusiliers marins](/source/Fusiliers_marins).[3] In 1953, during the royal succession crisis in Wallis, Benjamin Brial applied for the title of *Lavelua*, but the administration of New Caledonia refused to allow a French citizen to become customary king. As a result his mother, Aloisia Brial, was chosen to become sovereign.[2]: 230 ## Political career Benjamin Brial was MP for Wallis and Futuna from 1967 to 1988.[4] A [Gaullist](/source/Gaullist), he was attached to the [Union of Democrats for the Republic](/source/Union_of_Democrats_for_the_Republic), which became the [Rally for the Republic](/source/Rally_for_the_Republic) in 1976. He won the legislative election of 1967 by winning against [Hervé Loste](/source/Herv%C3%A9_Loste).[5] He was re-elected in July 1968 and April 1973.[1] He was re-elected in the first round during the legislative elections of [1978](/source/1978_French_legislative_election) and 1979 against his only competitor from the UDF, Father Petelo Falelavaki.[4] He then became a divisive figure in the politics of Wallis and Futuna, rallying the opposition, including the UDF, against him.[4] In [1981](/source/1981_French_legislative_election), he retained his seat against the UDF and three other candidates. During the [1986 French legislative election](/source/1986_French_legislative_election), the opposition of the UDF was divided between two candidates; the three-way contest allowed Brial to retain his seat as deputy. During the [1988 French legislative election](/source/1988_French_legislative_election) he won narrowly over [Kamilo Gata](/source/Kamilo_Gata), a former RPR political adviser "disappointed by the immobility of his original party". Due to the fragmentation of the opposition between Gata, UDF candidate [Basile Tui](/source/Basile_Tui) and the socialist candidate Joseph Maisueche, Brial won the election with 52.18% of the votes in the second round. However, the election result was subsequently overturned by the [Constitutional Council](/source/Constitutional_Council_(France)).[4][6] Gata won the subsequent by-election. Brial retired from political life and resigned from his post as territorial councillor.[4] He died in November 2004.[1][7] ## References 1. ["Benjamin Brial"](https://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/sycomore/fiche/(num_dept)/1208). Assemblée nationale. Retrieved 13 September 2022. 1. Jean-Claude Roux (1995). [*Wallis et Futuna : Espaces et temps recomposés. Chroniques d'une micro-insularité*](https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/2021-08/010024463.pdf) (in French). Talence: Presses universitaires de Bordeaux. Retrieved 13 September 2022. 1. Malia Sosefo-Drouet Manufekai (2009). *Tāvaka Lanu'imoana : Mémoires de voyages* (in French). Nouméa: Agence de développement de la culture kanak/Tāvaka. p. 104,109. ISBN 978-2-909407-70-8. 1. Frédéric Angleviel (2003). "Wallis et Futuna, 1981-1988. Nouveaux dynamismes et permanences insulaires". *François Mitterrand et les territoires français du Pacifique (1981-1988), mutations, drames et recompositions, enjeux internationaux et franco-français* (in French). Jean-Marc Regnault (ed.). pp. 441–443. 1. ["Décision n° 67-436 AN du 21 juin 1967"](https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/decision/1967/67436an.htm) (in French). Conseil constitutionnel. 21 June 1967. Retrieved 13 September 2022. 1. ["Décision n° 88-1096 AN du 23 novembre 1988"](https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/decision/1988/881096AN.htm) (in French). Conseil constitutionnel. 23 November 1988. Retrieved 11 September 2022. 1. ["Long-serving Wallis and Futuna MP dies"](https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/151694/long-serving-wallis-and-futuna-mp-dies). [RNZ](/source/RNZ). 13 November 2004. Retrieved 13 September 2022. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Benjamin Brial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Brial) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Brial?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.