He served as a member of the
Territorial Assembly of Wallis and Futuna, 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). 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. 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. His re-election in June 2017 was annulled by the
Constitutional Council on 2 February 2018, forcing a
by-election. ==References==