Vincent Dubois
{{short description|French Polynesian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
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Vincent Dubois (born 5 August 1981) is a French Polynesian lawyer and politician who represented French Polynesia in the Senate of France from 2014 to 2015. He is the son-in-law of Tahoera'a Huiraatira leader Gaston Flosse.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/270457/four-tahiti-party-expulsions-confirmed |title=Four Tahiti party expulsions confirmed |publisher=RNZ |date=6 April 2015 |access-date=17 May 2023}}
Education and career
Dubois was born in Cannes. He spent his childhood and adolescence in Tahiti, then studied in metropolitan France, in Paris, in Nice, where he obtained a master's degree in public law, then at the University of Oxford in England, where he obtained a master's degree in law under the Erasmus programme. After obtaining a master's degree in public economic law, delivered by the Panthéon-Assas University, he joined the CRFPA of Versailles in 2006, and obtained his CAPA in October 2007. He joined the Papeete bar in November 2007 and began his career as an associate of François Quinquis.
He played rugby, and was Polynesian rugby champion several times. He was part of the French Polynesian rugby team for the 2007 Pacific Games.
Since 1 January 2012 he has been a founding partner of the firm Fenuavocats.{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Le-Tahoera-a-remporte-les-senatoriales-des-le-premier-tour-MAJ_a110606.html |title=Le Tahoera'a remporte les sénatoriales dès le premier tour (MAJ) |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=28 September 2014 |access-date=17 May 2023}}
He made himself known to the general Polynesian public in certain criminal cases with strong local media resonance. He is notably the lawyer for Henri Haiti, in the case of the assassination of the German tourist Stefan Ramin,{{cite web |url=http://www.tntv.pf/Vincent-Dubois-avocat-de-Henri-Haiti_a1038.html |title=Vincent Dubois, avocat de Henri Haiti |publisher=TNTV |language=fr |date=16 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528011652/http://www.tntv.pf/Vincent-Dubois-avocat-de-Henri-Haiti_a1038.html |archive-date=28 May 2014}} and of Rere Puputauki, in the case of the sinking of the Tahiti Nui IV{{cite web |url=https://www.radio1.pf/rere-puputauki-est-mis-en-examen-pour-enlevement-et-sequestration/ |title=Mise en examen de Rere Puputauki : " un cadeau fait à la famille Couraud " selon son avocat |publisher=Radio1 |language=fr |date=16 July 2013 |access-date=17 May 2023}} and the disappearance by journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud.{{cite web |url=https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Polynesie-les-ecoutes-renforcent-la-these-de-l-assassinat-de-JPK-avocat-famille_a98228.html |title=Polynésie: les écoutes renforcent la thèse de l'assassinat de "JPK" (avocat famille) |publisher=Tahiti Infos |language=fr |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=17 May 2023}}
Political career
Dubois went into politics after meeting Cora Flosse, daughter of Gaston Flosse. He was 17th on the "Punaauia To'u Oire" list of MP Jean-Paul Tuaiva, defeated in the 2014 municipal elections in the municipality of Punaauia.{{cite web |url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Municipales/elecresult__MN2014/(path)/MN2014/987/C2987038L003.html |title=Résultats des élections municipales et communautaires 2014 |publisher=Ministry of the Interior |language=fr |date=30 March 2014 |access-date=17 May 2023}} He then successfully led the campaign of Maina Sage, Tahoera'a Huiraatira candidate in the 2014 by-election in French Polynesia's 1st constituency to rep[lace Édouard Fritch.
He was elected senator of French Polynesia on 28 September 2014.{{cite web |url=https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/polynesie/tahiti/teura-iriti-et-vincent-dubois-nouveaux-senateurs-de-la-polynesie-193004.html |title=Teura Iriti et Vincent Dubois nouveaux sénateurs de la Polynésie |publisher=Polynesie1 |language=fr |date=28 September 2014 |access-date=17 May 2023}}{{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=17 May 2023}} During the sitting for the election of the President of the Senate on 1 October 2014, he was secretary of session, being one of the six youngest senators of France.{{cite web |url=https://www.senat.fr/cra/s20141001/s20141001.pdf |title=MERCREDI 1ER OCTOBRE 2014 |publisher=Senate of France |language=fr |date= |access-date=17 May 2023}} In the Senate, he sat with the UDI-UC group and was a member of the Committee on Constitutional Laws, Legislation, Universal Suffrage, Regulations and General Administration as well as the Senate Overseas Delegation. His election was annulled by the Constitutional Council on 6 February 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/decision/2015/20144907SEN.htm |title=Décision no 2014-4907 SEN du 6 février 2015 |publisher=Constitutional Council |language=fr |date=6 February 2015 |access-date=17 May 2023}} He contested the by-election to succeed himself on 3 May 2015, winning 34.3% of the vote.
He was the Tahoera'a Huiraatira candidate in French Polynesia's 3rd constituency in the 2017 French legislative election, finishing third in the first round with 27.6% of the vote. As a result, he did not progress to the second round.{{cite web |url=https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/polynesie/tahiti/legislatives-trois-candidats-tapura-presents-au-second-tour-480635.html |title=Législatives : les trois candidats Tapura présents au second tour |publisher=Polynesie1 |language=fr |date=3 June 2017 |access-date=17 May 2023}} He subsequently endorsed Moetai Brotherson in the second round.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/332326/tahiti-anti-independence-politician-switches-support |title=Tahiti anti-independence politician switches support |publisher=RNZ |date=5 June 2017 |access-date=17 May 2023}}