{{Short description|French politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Napole Polutélé | image = Napole Polutele (cropped).jpg | office = Member of the National Assembly<br />for Wallis and Futuna | term_start = 24 March 2013 | term_end = 2 February 2018 | predecessor = David Vergé | successor = Sylvain Brial | majority = 647 votes (5.2 %) | office1 = | term_start1 = | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | office2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | predecessor2 = | office3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | office4 = | president4 = | prime_minister4 = | term_start4 = | term_end4 = | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|6|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Mu'a, Uvea, Wallis and Futuna | death_date = | death_place = | party = none | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = | caption = Polutélé in 2017 }}
'''Napole Polutélé''' (born 25 June 1965<ref>[http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/tribun/fiches_id/693008.asp Official file], website of the French National Assembly</ref>) is a French politician.
==Early life== Born on Wallis,<ref name="elected">[http://www.la1ere.fr/2013/03/25/napole-polutele-nouveau-depute-de-wallis-et-futuna-22377.html "Napole Polutélé nouveau député de Wallis et Futuna"], Outre-Mer 1ère, 25 March 2013</ref> he studied in metropolitan France in Toulouse and Bordeaux, then began a career as a secondary school history and geography teacher, first in Nouméa (New Caledonia) for a year, then in his home island.<ref name="elected" />
==Career== He served as a member of the Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna,<ref>[http://www.directmatin.fr/politique/2013-06-04/elu-grace-lump-le-depute-siegera-avec-le-ps-480389 "ELU GRÂCE À L'UMP, LE DÉPUTÉ SIÉGERA AVEC LE PS"], ''Direct Matin'', 4 June 2013</ref> before entering French national politics. He stood as a candidate in the 2013 by-election for Wallis and Futuna's seat in the French National Assembly. Although he stood as an independent, he was endorsed and supported by the right-wing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).<ref name="elected" /> He was elected, in the second round on 24 March, with 37.5% of the vote, ahead of two candidates of the left.<ref>[http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Partielles/Legislatives/2013 By-elections to the National Assembly in 2013], French Ministry of the Interior</ref> Two months later, having been elected to sit on the opposition benches (albeit officially as an independent), he joined the ranks of the Socialist-led majority in the National Assembly. He explained frankly that being a member of the majority would make it easier for him to lobby the government for funds and services for his constituents - who, he said, cared little for the left-right divide prevalent in metropolitan France. He subsequently sat as an independent on the benches of the left.<ref name="rejoint">[http://www.la1ere.fr/2013/05/29/le-depute-de-wallis-napole-polutele-rejoint-le-parti-socialiste-37921.html "Le député de Wallis Napole Polutélé rejoint le Parti Socialiste"], Outre-Mer 1ère, 29 May 2013</ref> Specifically, he promised to lobby for the setting up of a better sewerage system in the territory, and faster repairs following damage caused by a cyclone.<ref name="rejoint" /> His crossing the floor so soon after his election caused strong reactions within the UMP, with party leader Jean-François Copé describing it as "shocking" and the party's parliamentary leader Christian Jacob calling it "outrageous".<ref>[http://www.la1ere.fr/2013/06/04/le-changement-de-bord-de-napole-polutele-irrite-l-ump-39375.html "Le changement de bord de Napole Polutélé irrite l'UMP"], Outre-Mer 1ère, 4 June 2013</ref>
His re-election in June 2017 was annulled by the Constitutional Council on 2 February 2018, forcing a by-election.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wallis et Futuna : le Conseil constitutionnel annule l'élection du député Napole Polutele|url=https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/wallis-futuna-conseil-constitutionnel-annule-election-du-depute-napole-polutele-555643.html|agency=Agence France-Presse|publisher=Outre-mer 1ère|date=2 February 2018|accessdate=2 February 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polutele, Napole}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Wallis and Futuna educators Category:Deputies of the 14th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Category:Deputies of the 15th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Category:Members of Parliament for Wallis and Futuna