[6] In January 2009, Tong Sang had opened negotiations with Oscar Temaru to try to create a union government and set the stage for new elections.
[6] President Tong Sang announced on 7 February 2009, that he would step down ahead of a proposed censure motion against his government by a coalition of pro-separatist parties led by Temaru.
[6] The censure motion proposal against the Tong Sang government was supported by the Union for Democracy (UPLD), Tahoera'a Huiraatira, and Rautahi political parties.
[6] Temaru, who also served as the President of the Assembly at the time, accepted Tong Sang's resignation, paving the way for a new presidential election.
[11] In his nomination speech to the Assembly, Temaru described the current tourism situation in French Polynesia as "catastrophic".