{{Short description|French Polynesian politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = | honorific_suffix = | image = | caption = | office = | prime_minister = | term_start = | term_end = | predecessor = | successor = | office2 = | term_start2 = | term_end2 = | prime_minister2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | office3 = | president3 = | term_start3 = | term_end3 = | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | office4 = | president4 = | term_start4 = | term_end4 = | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | office7 = | president7 = | term_start7 = | term_end7 = | predecessor7 = | successor7 = | office8 = | prime_minister8 = | term_start8 = | term_end8 = | predecessor8 = | successor8 = | office9 = Senator for French Polynesia | prime_minister9 = | term_start9 = 21 September 2008 | term_end9 = 30 September 2014 | predecessor9 = ''None'' (Seat created) | successor9 = Vincent Dubois | constituency_AM10 = Windward Isles 1 | assembly10 = French Polynesian | term_start10 = 5 May 2013 | term_end10 = | predecessor10 = | successor10 = | constituency_AM11 = | assembly11 = | term_start11 = | term_end11 = | predecessor11 = | successor11 = | majority11 = | birth_date = 28 February 1974<ref name=SenBio>{{cite web |url=http://www.senat.fr/senateur/tuheiava_richard08071a.html |title=TUHEIAVA Richard |publisher=Sénat |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> | birth_place = Papeete, French Polynesia | death_date = | death_place = | party = Union For Democracy <br /> Socialist Party <br /> Tavini Huiraatira | alma_mater = | website = }}
'''Richard Ari'ihau Tuheiava''' (born 28 February 1974) is a French Polynesian lawyer and politician. He represented French Polynesia in the Senate of France from 2008 to 2014, sitting with the Socialist Party. He is now a Member of the Assembly of French Polynesia and a member of Tavini Huiraatira.
==Early life== Tuheiava was born in Papeete and grew up in Raiatea and Moorea.<ref name=LD2008a>{{cite web |url=http://www.ladepeche.pf/fenua/politique/541-lascension-fulgurante-de-richard-tuheiava.html |title=L'ascension fulgurante de Richard Tuheiava |publisher=La Dépêche de Tahiti |date=23 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ladepeche.pf%2Ffenua%2Fpolitique%2F541-lascension-fulgurante-de-richard-tuheiava.html#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url |archive-date=24 February 2011}}</ref> He was educated at Lycée Paul-Gauguin before studying economics at the University of French Polynesia, graduating in 1993.<ref name=LD2008a/> He moved to Aix-en-Provence in France to study law, and in 1997 gained his legal degree.<ref name=LD2008a/> He returned to Tahiti in 1998, where he worked as a lawyer.<ref name=LD2008a/><ref name=SenBio/> He is a member of the Human Rights League, and served as president of the Junior Economic Chamber.<ref name=LD2008a/>
==Political career== In March 2008 he was elected a municipal councilor for Arue on the Union For Democracy (UPLD) list.<ref name=LD2008a/> In July 2008 he joined Tavini Huiraatira.<ref name=RNZ2008a>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/178595/french-polynesia-senate-nomination-causes-dissent-within-union-for-democracy |title=French Polynesia senate nomination causes dissent within Union For Democracy |publisher=RNZ |date=4 August 2008 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> In August 2008 he was chosen as the UPLD's candidate in the 2008 French Senate election, running on a joint opposition ticket with Tahoera'a Huiraatira leader Gaston Flosse.<ref name=RNZ2008a/> He was elected in the first round with 361 votes,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/179430/flosse-retains-french-polynesian-seat-in-french-senate-despite-ump-fallout |title=Flosse retains French Polynesian seat in French senate despite UMP fallout |publisher=RNZ |date=22 September 2008 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> becoming the youngest person elected to the French Senate.<ref name=TCP2010>{{cite journal |url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/cf29501a-bb2e-495d-afa0-835ce996f245/content |title=French Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 |last1=Gonschor |first1=Lorenz |journal=The Contemporary Pacific |volume=22 |issue=1 |year=2010 |pages=170 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> In the Senate he sat with the Socialist Party.<ref name=SenBio/><ref name=TCP2010/> Shortly after being elected he criticised the French government's plans for a nuclear compensation law as being aimed at evading responsibility.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/180958/french-polynesian-senator-lashes-out-at-paris-nuke-compo-talks |title=French Polynesian senator lashes out at Paris nuke compo talks |publisher=RNZ |date=16 December 2008 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> He repeated the criticism in 2010, pointing out that the law excluded compensation for contaminated land and failed to meet the needs and expectations of test victims.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/188871/tahiti-senator-claims-french-nuclear-compo-law-is-mere-alibi |title=Tahiti senator claims French nuclear compo law is mere alibi |publisher=RNZ |date=23 February 2010 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> In May 2010 he complained to the French Prime Minister about the exclusion of a Tahitian delegation from a United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization meeting in New Caledonia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/190391/paris-urged-to-aid-french-polynesians-over-snub-at-un-meet |title=Paris urged to aid French Polynesians over snub at UN meet |publisher=RNZ |date=20 May 2010 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> He later denounced the colonisation of French Polynesia by France and called the colonial era a dark period of humanity's history.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/190482/senator-says-french-polynesians-should-be-told-about-colonisation |title=Senator says French Polynesians should be told about colonisation |publisher=RNZ |date=25 May 2010 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> In 2011 he called for France's nuclear compensation law to be amended to return the test sites of Moruroa and Fangataufa to French Polynesia.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/193781/french-polynesian-call-to-amend-nuke-test-compensation-law |title=French Polynesian call to amend nuke test compensation law |publisher=RNZ |date=19 November 2010 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> His bill to return the atolls was passed by the Senate in 2012,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/202040/french-senate-approves-bill-to-return-french-polynesian-atolls |title=French senate approves bill to return French Polynesian atolls |publisher=RNZ |date=19 January 2012 |access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref> but had not yet been debated by the French National Assembly by the time it was meant to take effect in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/235683/return-of-nuke-test-sites-yet-to-be-discussed-in-french-assembly |title=Return of nuke test sites yet to be discussed in French Assembly |publisher=RNZ |date=10 February 2014 |access-date=24 October 2022}}</ref> He contested the 2014 French Senate election for the UPLD,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Le-binome-UPLD-Tuheiava-Nena-candidat-aux-senatoriales_a109308.html |title=Le binôme UPLD "Tuheiava-Nena" candidat aux sénatoriales |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=11 September 2014 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> but lost to Vincent Dubois in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/255761/tahoeraa-wins-tahiti's-french-senate-seats |title=Tahoeraa wins Tahiti's French Senate seats |publisher=RNZ |date=30 September 2014 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> Following the nullification of the 2014 Senate election he contested the resulting by-election,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/266620/tahoeraa-keen-on-retaining-french-senate-seats |title=Tahoeraa keen on retaining French Senate seats |publisher=RNZ |date=20 February 2015 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> but was unsuccessful.
He was elected to the Assembly of French Polynesia on the UPLD list at the 2013 French Polynesian legislative election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.assemblee.pf/pdf/RepresentantDetail/29 |title=Richard TUHEIAVA |publisher=Assemblée de la Polynésie française |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> He stood as a Tavini candidate in French Polynesia's 1st constituency at the 2017 French legislative election,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Legislatives-2017-Richard-Tuheiava-Revendiquer-activement-le-transfert-des-competences-statutaires_a161433.html |title=Législatives 2017 - Richard Tuheiava : "Revendiquer activement le transfert des compétences statutaires" |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=1 June 2017 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> but was eliminated in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Legislatives-pas-de-triangulaire-au-second-tour_a161595.html |title=Législatives : pas de triangulaire au second tour |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=3 June 2017 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> He was re-elected to the Assembly as a Tavini candidate in the 2018 election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Territoriales-2018-Le-nouveau-visage-de-l-Assemblee_a171403.html |title=Territoriales 2018 : Le nouveau visage de l'Assemblée |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=6 May 2018 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>
==Controversy== In November 2009 he was banned from practicing law for two years for taking money from clients without doing any work.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/187309/tahiti's-french-senator-tuheiava-disbarred-for-two-years |title=Tahiti's French senator Tuheiava disbarred for two years |publisher=RNZ |date=20 November 2009 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> The decision was upheld by the Court of Cassation in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Richard-Tuheiava-sanction-confirmee-en-Cassation-sur-fond-d-inquietude-pour-la-profession_a59121.html |title=Richard Tuheiava : sanction confirmée en Cassation sur fond d'inquiétude pour la profession |language=fr |publisher=Tahiti Infos |date=17 October 2012 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lesnouvelles.pf/actu/cour-de-cassation-richard-tuheiava-perd-son-recours-contre-sa-suspension-disciplinaire |title=Cour de cassation : Richard Tuheiava perd son recours contre sa suspension disciplinaire |publisher=lesnouvelles.pf |date=18 October 2012 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021043135/http://www.lesnouvelles.pf/actu/cour-de-cassation-richard-tuheiava-perd-son-recours-contre-sa-suspension-disciplinaire |archive-date=21 October 2012 |access-date=8 December 2022 }}</ref>
In March 2012 he was charged with forgery over legal work he had done between 2006 and 2009.<ref name=RNZ2012a>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/203226/french-polynesia's-tuheiava-charged-with-forgery |title=French Polynesia's Tuheiava charged with forgery |publisher=RNZ |date=15 March 2012 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> He denounced the charges as "a political move guided by Paris".<ref name=RNZ2012a/> The charges were dismissed in August 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/206641/tahiti's-tuheiava-cleared-after-alleged-french-plot |title=Tahiti's Tuheiava cleared after alleged French plot |publisher=RNZ |date=17 August 2012 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Senators of France}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tuheiava, Richard}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:People from Papeete Category:University of French Polynesia alumni Category:French Polynesian lawyers Category:French senators of the Fifth Republic Category:Socialist Party (France) politicians Category:Senators of French Polynesia Category:Members of the Assembly of French Polynesia Category:Tavini Huiraatira politicians Category:French lawyers