Policy of Madagascar

In March 1998, the Malagasy voters approved a revised constitution. The principal institutions of the Republic of Madagascar are a presidency, a Parlement (National Assembly and Sénat), a Prime Minister and Gouvernement, as well as a independent Justice. The president is elected with the Vote for all direct for a five years mandate, renewable twice.

System

The National Assembly consists of 160 representatives elected by direct suffrage every five years. The Senate as for him consists of 90 senators, of which two thirds are elected by the local legislators. The other third is named by the president, all for a six years mandate. The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers deal with the daily administration of the government. The president names the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister and the members of the Parliament are at the origin of the legislation, and the government carries out it. The president can dissolve the National Assembly. For its part, the National Assembly can vote a motion of censure and oblige the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers to go into reverse. The Constitutional court examines the new laws in order to make sure that they are in conformity with the Constitution.

The legislation determines the territorial administration. In an effort of decentralization of the latter, the constitution encourages the six provinces to become autonomous.

History

First president de Madagascar, Philibert Tsiranana, favorite of France - old colonial power -, was elected when its democratic social Party (Pisodia) gained the capacity at the time of independence in 1960, and was re-elected without opposition in March 1972. However, after hardly two months, he resigned under the pressure of massive demonstrations anti-neocoloniaslists. Agitation continued, and the successor of Tsiranana, the general Gabriel Ramanantsoa, resigned on February 5th, 1975, transmitting the executive power to the lieutenant-colonel Richard Ratsimandrava - unfavourable with the French interests -, assassinated six days later. A provisional military directorate was then set up until a new government is formed in June 1975, under the authority of the admiral Didier Ratsiraka.

During the sixteen following years, under the direction of President Ratsiraka, Madagascar continued with a government engaged towards the revolutionary socialism based on the constitution of 1975, which establishes a state strongly centralized. At the time of the elections of 1982 and 1989, Ratsiraka was re-elected for a second and third seven years presidential mandate. During the major part of this period, only a reduced and moderate political opposition was tolerated, but the press was censured.

With a relieving of the restrictions on the political expression, starting from the end of the year 1980, the mode of Ratsiraka undergoes an increasing pressure in favor of a fundamental change. In reaction to an economy which worsens, Ratsiraka had started to slacken the socialist dogma to institute some liberal reforms. But those, as of other political reforms - such as the elimination of the censure of the press in 1989 and the formation of additional political parties in 1990 - were insufficient to calm the force of the growing, known opposition like Hery Velona or “Lifeblood”, centered in the capital and the surrounding high plateau.

In answer to the peaceful demonstrations of mass and crushing general strikes, Ratsiraka replaced its Prime Minister in August 1991 but endured an irrevocable reverse little time afterwards, when its troops made fire on peaceful demonstrators ravelling in his de luxe hotel of suburbs, while killing more than thirty.

Its increasingly weakened position, Ratsiraka accepted the negotiations concerning the formation of a transitory government. The “Convention Panorama” which resulted from it, on October 31st, 1991, strips Ratsiraka of almost all its capacities, creates temporary institutions, and sets up a eighteen months planning to complete the transition towards the new shape from constitutional government. The High Constitutional court was preserved like ultimate legal referee of the process.

In March 1992, a new constitution was outlined by a largely representative National forum, organized by the Conseil of the Christian Churches of Madagascar (FFKM). The troops protecting the event ran up with the “federalists” pro-Ratsiraka who tried to stop the forum in protest with the constitutional draft which would prevent the titular president from controlling again. The text of the new constitution was subjected in August 1992 to a referendum with the national scales, and approved by a broad margin in spite of the efforts of the federalists to disturb the poll in several coastal regions.

The presidential election was held on November 25th, 1992, after the High Constitutional court had ruled, in spite of the objections of the Lifeblood, that Ratsiraka could be candidate. The final election proceeded in February 1993, with the victory of the leader of the Lifeblood Albert Zafy over Ratsiraka. It lent oath as a president on March 27th, 1993.

Legislative elections on a country scale were held in June 1993 in order to elect a new National Assembly which, under the new constitution, in common exerts the legislative initiative with the Prime Minister, that it elects.

The system of representation proportional for the election of the legislators contributed to a significant growth of the number of political parties and lobbys speficic. This, as well as freedom of the press, promotes the debates open and animated on the political subjects in Madagascar.

Zafy was relieved by the Constitutional court on September 5th, 1996. Paradoxically Didier Ratsiraka was re-elected with the elections of December 29th, 1996.

The president is Marc Ravalomanana and the Prime Minister Jacques Sylla since February or May 2002, (the date is disputed, Ravalomanana having carried out two nominations).

The president tries a policy of opening of the country towards the other countries which France, and meets the sympathy in particular of Germany, South Africa, of the USA, of Japan…

The presidential election took place on December 3rd, 2006. Thirteen candidates were in string, of which a woman, Elia Ravelomanantsoa. She was gained by the outgoing president Marc Ravalomanana.

Some data

Name of the country :

long Form conventional : Republic of Madagascar
short Form conventional : Madagascar
long Form local : Republic of Madagascar (French); Repoblikan' I Madagasikara (Malagasy)
short Form local : Madagascar; Madagasikara
former Form : Malagasy republic

Code : MY

Standard of government : Republic

Constitution : August 19th, 1992, by national Referendum

legal System : based on the French civil law and the Malagasy common law. Madagascar does not recognize the obligatory competence of CIJ.

Vote : as from 18 years; universal

Executive power :

Government : The Council of Ministers, named by the Prime Minister.
Elections : The president is elected by a popular vote for a five years mandate. The Prime Minister is named by the president starting from a list of candidates designated by the National Assembly.

Legislative power : Bicameral Parliament

National Assembly : 160 seats, the members are directly elected by the people for a four years mandate).
Senate : two thirds of the seats are filled by the regional assemblies whose members are elected by the vote for all, and the remaining third of seats is named by the president. All the members exert during a four years mandate.

judicial Power : Supreme court, High Constitutional court

Political parties : Association for the rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA, Economic liberalism and democratic action for the national rebuilding or LEADER/Fanilo, I like Madagascar or TIM, National union or FP, Renouveau of the Democratic Social Party or RPSD.

political Lobby : Federalistic movement, National council, the Council of the Christian Churches of Madagascar or FFKM

Participation in the international organizations : UNO, UA, MPNA, OIF, ACP, G-77, IAEA, the IMF, the World Bank, BIRD, IDA, ILO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, HCR, UPU, OMC, ONUDI, WHO, FAO, ISO, COI, COMESA, SADC, Interpol…

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