Madagascar Africa
      


GOVERNMENT

In March 1998, Malagasy voters approved a revised Constitution. The principal institutions of the Republic of Madagascar are a presidency, a parliament (National Assembly and Senate), a prime ministry and cabinet, and an independent judiciary. The president is elected by direct universal suffrage for a 5-year term, renewable twice. The next presidential election has been scheduled for December 3, 2006.

The National Assembly consists of 160 representatives elected by direct vote every 5 years. The last election was held in December 2002. The Senate consists of 90 senators, two-thirds elected by local legislators and other Grand Electors and one-third appointed by the president, all for 6-year terms. A prime minister and council of ministers carries out day-to-day management of government. The president appoints the prime minister.

The prime minister and members of Parliament initiate legislation, and the government executes it. The president can dissolve the National Assembly. For its part, the National Assembly can pass a motion of censure and require the prime minister and council of ministers to step down. The Constitutional Court approves the constitutionality of new laws.

Territorial administration is to be determined by legislation. In an effort to decentralize administration, the Constitution calls for the six provinces (faritany) to become autonomous. The six provinces are Antananarivo, Mahajanga, Antsiranana, Toamasina, Fianarantsoa, and Toliary.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Madagascar's first President, Philibert Tsiranana, was elected when his Social Democratic Party gained power at independence in 1960 and was reelected without opposition in March 1972. However, he resigned only 2 months later in response to massive antigovernment demonstrations. The unrest continued, and Tsiranana's successor, Gen. Gabriel Ramanantsoa, resigned on February 5, 1975, handing over executive power to Lt. Col. Richard Ratsimandrava, who was assassinated 6 days later. A provisional military directorate then ruled until a new government was formed in June 1975, under Didier Ratsiraka.

During the 16 subsequent years of President Ratsiraka's rule, Madagascar continued under a government committed to revolutionary socialism based on the 1975 Constitution establishing a highly centralized state. National elections in 1982 and 1989 returned Ratsiraka for a second and third 7-year presidential term. For much of this period, only limited and restrained political opposition was tolerated, with no direct criticism of the president permitted in the press.

With an easing of restrictions on political expression, beginning in the late 1980s, the Ratsiraka regime came under increasing pressure to make fundamental changes. In response to a deteriorating economy, Ratsiraka relaxed socialist economic policies and instituted some liberal, private-sector reforms. These, along with political reforms like the elimination of press censorship in 1989 and the formation of more political parties in 1990, were insufficient to placate a growing opposition movement known as Hery Velona or "Active Forces." A number of already existing political parties and their leaders, among them Albert Zafy and Rakotoniaina Manandafy, anchored this movement which was especially strong in Antananarivo and the surrounding high plateau.

In response to largely peaceful mass demonstrations and crippling general strikes, Ratsiraka replaced his prime minister in August 1991 but suffered an irreparable setback soon thereafter when his troops fired on peaceful demonstrators marching on his suburban palace, killing more than 30.

In an increasingly weakened position, Ratsiraka acceded to negotiations on the formation of a transitional government. The resulting "Panorama Convention" of October 31, 1991, stripped Ratsiraka of nearly all of his powers, created interim institutions, and set an 18-month timetable for completing a transition to a new form of constitutional government. The High Constitutional Court was retained as the ultimate judicial arbiter of the process.

In March 1992, a widely representative National Forum organized by the Malagasy Christian Council of Churches (FFKM) drafted a new Constitution. Troops guarding the proceedings clashed with pro-Ratsiraka "federalists" who tried to disrupt the forum in protest of draft constitutional provisions preventing the incumbent president from running again. The text of the new Constitution was put to a nationwide referendum in August 1992 and approved by a wide margin, despite efforts by federalists to disrupt balloting in several coastal areas.

Presidential elections were held on November 25, 1992, after the High Constitutional Court had ruled, over active forces objections, that Ratsiraka could become a candidate. Runoff elections were held in February 1993, and the leader of the Hery Velona movement, Albert Zafy, defeated Ratsiraka. Zafy was sworn in as President on March 27, 1993. After President Zafy's impeachment by the National Assembly in 1996 and the short quasi-presidency of Norbert Ratsirahonana, the 1997 elections once again pitted Zafy and Ratsiraka, with Ratsiraka this time emerging victorious. A National Assembly dominated by members of President Ratsiraka'a political party AREMA subsequently passed the 1998 Constitution, which considerably strengthened the presidency.

In December 2001, a presidential election was held in which both major candidates claimed victory. The Ministry of the Interior declared incumbent Ratsiraka of the AREMA party victorious. Marc Ravalomanana contested the results and claimed victory. A political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka supporters cut major transport routes from the primary port city to the capital city, a stronghold of Ravalomanana support. Sporadic violence and considerable economic disruption continued until July 2002 when Ratsiraka and several of his prominent supporters fled to exile in France. In addition to political differences, ethnic differences played a role in the crisis and continue to play a role in politics. Ratsiraka is from the coastal Betsimisarka tribe and Ravalomanana comes from the highland Merina tribe.

After the end of the 2002 political crisis, President Ravalomanana began many reform projects, forcefully advocating "rapid and durable development" and the launching of a battle against corruption. December 2002 legislative elections gave his newly formed TIM (Tiako-i-Madagasikara--I Love Madagascar) Party a commanding majority in the National Assembly. November 2003 municipal elections were conducted freely, returning a majority of supporters of the president, but also significant numbers of independent and regional opposition figures.

Following the crisis of 2002, the President replaced provincial governors with appointed PDSs (Presidents des Delegations Speciales). Subsequent legislation established a structure of 22 regions to decentralize administration. In September 2004, the Government named 22 Regional Chiefs, reporting directly to the President, to implement its decentralization plans. Financing and specific powers for the regional administrations remain to be clarified.

Principal Government Officials
President--Marc Ravalomanana
Prime Minister--General Charles Rabemananjara
President of the Senate--Guy Rajemison Rakotomaharo
President of National Assembly--Mahafaritsy Samuel Razakanirina
Minister of National Defense--Cecile Marie Ange Manorohanta
Minister of Finance and Budget--Haja Nirina Razafinjatovo
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Marcel Ranjeva
Minister of Public Works and Meteorology--Roland Randimampionona
Minister of Transportation--Julien Laporte Ravelonarivo
Minister of Energy and Minining--Elise Razaka
Minister within the Presidency, in charge of Decentralization and Country Planning--Yvan Andrianasandratriniony
Minister of Justice--Bakolalao Ramanandraibe Ranaivoharivony Minister of Civil Service, Labor and Social Law--Jacky Mahafaly Tsiandopy
Minister of Environment, Water and Forest--Harison Edmond Randriarimanana
Minister of Health and Family Planning--Dr. Jean Louis Robinson
Minister of National Education and Scientific Researches--Benjamin Radavidson AndriamparanyMinister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries--Marius De Sales Ratolojanahary
Minister of Sports, Culture and Hobbies--Patrick Ramiaramanana
Minister of Telecommunications, Posts and Communication--Bruno Andrianatavison Ramaroson
Minister of Economy, Planning, Private Sector and Commerce--Ivohasina Razafimahefa
Vice Minister of Health--Marie Perline Rahatanirina
Vice Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries--Harifidy, Jean Seth, Alain Ramilison
State Secretary for Public Security--Désiré Rasolofomanana

Ambassador to the U.S.--Jocelyn B. Radifera
Ambassador to the UN--Zina Andrianarivelo-Razafy

Madagascar maintains an embassy in the United States at 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-265-5525)

Type: Republic.
Independence: June 26, 1960.
Constitution: Entered into force in March 1998.
Branches: Executive--president, prime minister, cabinet. Legislative--National Assembly and Senate. Judicial--Supreme Court, High Court of Justice, Constitutional High Court.
Subdivisions: Six autonomous provinces (faritany).
Political parties: Eight parties won seats in the December 2002 National Assembly elections. The ruling party I Love Madagascar (TIM) holds a solid majority of seats; others holding seats include Be Judged by Your Work (AVI), Rally for Social Democracy (RSPD), Pillar and Podium for the Development of Madagascar (AREMA), Militants for the Development of Madagascar (MFM), Reflection and Action Group for Development in Madagascar (GRAD-Iloafo), Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for Reconstruction Party (LEADER-Fanilo), and the regional party For A Mature Tamatave. There also dozens of minor parties.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
National holiday: June 26.




 
To Country Main Page | To TDS Home Page
 
Washington DC Office
925 Fifteenth Street N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20005
Voice: 1-800-874-5100
Local: 202-638-3800
Fax: 202-638-4674

support@traveldocs.com
New York Office
641 Lexington Avenue
Suite 1435
New York, NY 10022
Voice:  877-874-5104
Local:  212-223-1735
Fax: 212-634-6361
ny@traveldocs.com
San Francisco Office
3 Embarcadero Center
Lobby Level, Suite 2
San Francisco, CA 94111
Voice: 1-888-874-5100
Local: 415-399-1515
Fax: 415-399-1001

sfo@traveldocs.com
 

Copyright © 1996-2008 Travel Document Systems, Inc. ®