The pro-independence ruling party of French Polynesia's Territorial Assembly has been stripped of its absolute majority in the chamber, forcing the Tāvini Huiraʻatira government to regain support against a motion of defiance.

Resignations from 14 members of the party's moderate faction — which traditionally represent the overwhelming interests of Maohi Indigenous people — comes over a philosophical split against more seasoned MPs following several party issues.

The probable split will reduce the party's representation in the unicameral legislature from 36 seats to 22 amid the 57-seat assembly.

Most of the resigning MPs had been elected for the first time during the 2023 territorial elections.

Tensions have reportedly since grown between this new generation of Tāvini Huiraʻatira support against the old guard of the party's founding pillars.

The Tāvini Huiraʻatira party was formed in 1977 by Oscar Temaru out of the fight for Polynesian independence from enduring French colonisation.

French Polynesia still remains a part of the Republic of France to this day, however the Papeete's Territorial Assembly remains a strong voice on internal affairs for the overseas collectivity.

Mr Temaru aptly quoted Jesus Christ on Good Friday upon hearing of the split.

"Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing," he said, while adding politically there were "reasons to be worried".

Addressing Mr Temaru, 81, and his deputy, Antony Géros, in a joint letter, the resigning lawmakers said their decision was "carefully considered" on the Easter holiday, however it did not "question the respect we have" for their party's founder.

The split widened following recent municipal elections, in which Mr Géros lost the mayoral vote for Paea, the largest city of French Polynesia's most populous island of Tahiti.

Despite losing support from voters, two thirds of which are descendants of the Indigenous Maohi, an irate Mr Geros believed the dissident group has sold the party's identity and platform out.

"If we start entertaining diverging views of the party's objectives, we're in trouble," he told Tahiti media.

The dissident MPs are said to have aligned with president and Mr Temaru's son-in-law, Moetai Brotherson, 56, who became French Polynesia's head of government at the last election.

Mr Brotherson also posted on social media under a similar religious tone to his wife's father.

"While some are meeting in tribunal mode on this Good Friday, I'd prefer to leave it to God," he said.

Mr Brotherson has adopted a less confrontational approach towards France where the president favours a peaceful independence through a local referendum within a decade, which contrasts with the Tāvini Huiraʻatira party's historic hardline stance against Paris.

A key point of disagreement involves recent caucus meetings on the ongoing issue of deep-sea mineral exploitation.

The founders, including Mr Temaru, are in favour of greater economic pathways towards independence through the process, while Mr Brotherson and the 14 dissenting MPs directly oppose it, instead aligning with the French government's environmental concerns over deep-sea mining which many Indigenous people across the Pacific region hold.

The French Polynesian Territorial Assembly is scheduled to convene on Thursday over the motion of defiance, which could reduce Tāvini Huiraʻatira to inoperable minority rule.

Since the split, the party has held several emergency meetings to reconcile the two opposing factions.

"If nothing comes out of this meeting, then Tāvini Huiraʻatira will take action on April 9," the party wrote on social media.

The next French Polynesian elections are scheduled for 2028.