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Rajoelina will not seek a full term
At stake: National Assembly
Background
Madagascar is the largest producer of vanilla in the world. It is also the globe’s fourth largest island with a strategic location along the Mozambique Channel. The country has an estimated population of 18.5 million. About 1.4 million live in Antananarivo, the capital city.
At the beginning of the 1900s, Madagascar was a French colony. Both nations retain close ties to this day. French and Malagasy are both official languages in the country.
Madagascar was shortly occupied by the British after World War II. In 1960, Madagascar became an independent member of the French Community, two years after becoming a republic. The 1970s and 1980s were marked by political repression by army commander Didier Ratsiraka, who was appointed president after a military coup d’état. Ratsiraka led Madagascar from 1975 to 1993.
Ratsiraka nationalized natural resources and instated a socialist regime in the country. His popularity plummeted soon after the 1989 presidential election, which he won amidst accusations of fraud. Civil unrest led to the creation of a new system with other political parties being allowed to take part in the democratic process. In 1991, Ratsiraka was forced to share power with pro-democracy candidate Albert Zafy, to whom he finally lost the presidency in the 1993 election. Four years later, Ratsiraka regained power in the next ballot.
The most recent political unrest in Madagascar was seen during the December 2001 presidential election. The two main contenders, then-incumbent Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana, who was then the mayor of Antananarivo, were forced into a run-off. The capital’s mayor refused to accept the results and declared himself president of Madagascar in February 2002. The president, Ratsiraka, instated in return a parallel capital in Toamasina and had his own prime minister.
The crisis almost split the country in two. The Malagasy lived in a confusing and sometimes violent double-state situation until a recount was officially over and dealt with in April 2002. Ravalomanana was declared president, with 51.5 per cent of the vote. Ratsiraka relocated to France in July.
Ravalomanana has followed policies of economical liberalization in the country with relative success. The recent discovery of oil has led to several bids by multinational companies.
It is estimated that about 30 per cent of Madagascar’s population is illiterate. About 80 per cent of the population is employed by the agricultural industry. Malagasy have mixed ethnical backgrounds, the first inhabitants of the island coming from Malaysia and Indonesia and other Arabic-descent peoples. The current Constitution was approved in a 1992 national referendum. Some revisions were ratified also via referendum in April 2007.
In December 2006, Ravalomanana earned a new term with 54.80 per cent of all cast ballots.
Click here for Madagascar’s 2006 Presidential Election Tracker
In the 2007 legislative election, the governing I Love Madagascar (TIM) party got 105 of the 127 seats at stake. A new ballot had to be held in two districts where irregularities were reported.
Click here for Madagascar’s 2007 National Assembly Election Tracker
In March 2009, Ravalomanana was ousted in a coup backed by a group of military officers. Since January, Andry Rajoelina, a 34-year-old high school drop-out, former disc-jockey and mayor of Antananarivo, had organized popular rallies calling for the president to step down. The face-off between Rajoelina and Ravalomanana eventually escalated into violent riots. Over 100 people died as a result.
On Mar. 16, Ravalomanana resigned as president after a section of the army asked him to step aside and allow Rajoelina to take over as interim head of state. Army tanks seized the presidential palace, but Ravalomanana was not staying there.
On Mar. 21, Rajoelina was sworn in as "President of the High Transitional Authority of Madagascar."
Roindefo Monja was appointed as prime minister in Rajoelina’s transitional administration. Posts in the interim government were mainly filled with members of Rajoelina’s Determined Malagasy Youth (TGV) party.
Rajoelina vowed to hold a new presidential election within 24 months.
Rajoelina and his allies, including the military, denied once and again that they had staged a coup against the elected president. However, Madagascar was criticized by the international community and suspended from the African Union (AU). Also, U.S. aid funds were temporarily deferred.
Ravalomanana left Madagascar on Mar. 25 and went on to live in exile in Swaziland and South Africa.
In July 2009, Rajoelina vowed to hold early elections by the end on 2009. However, the ballot did not take place.
2010 National Assembly Election
Andry Rajoelina has been acting as provisional president of Madagascar since March 2009 after forcing Marc Ravalomanana out of office with the assistance of a section of the military.
Rajoelina, who leads the Determined Malagasy Youth (TGV) party, vowed to hold elections within 24 months.
Three opposition parties have joined under the Madagascar Movement umbrella.
In December 2009, Rajoelina unilaterally decided that legislative elections would take place on Mar. 20, 2010, ignoring agreements brokered by international organizations that forced the interim government to share power with opponents. Rajoelina said the new legislators would draft a new constitution. At 35, the transitional president is too young to seek a full term in office. Rajoelina has vowed to change the constitution to allow him to become a candidate.
On Jan. 7, Mananjara Fidison, co-leader of the Madagascar Movement, denounced harassment at an anti-government rally held that day, saying, "It was a peaceful demonstration, but the military fired tear gas to disperse the crowd."
On Jan. 15, leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said in a statement that the group "rejects the unilateral plan of the de facto Government of Madagascar to reorganize the transition and hold legislative elections in March 2010, and urges the international community to also reject it." The statement added that the group also "rejects any attempt to use democratic means, institutions and processes to legitimize governments that came to power through unconstitutional means."
Since Rajoelina’s-led coup, Madagascar has been suspended from several organizations, including the African Union (AU) and the SADC.
On Jan. 22, the transitional president again rejected calls by the AU and other groups to establish a power-sharing government and then prepare for elections, saying, "In view of the evolving situation any power-sharing has become impossible because it has already become a source for a new crisis and the cause for serious troubles in our country recently." Rajoelina added: "The transitional regime repeats its commitment to organizing consensual elections, free and inclusive in their preparation and organisation."
Manandafy Rakotonirina, an ally of Ravalomanana, reiterated his rejection to the March election, saying, "Logistically it is impossible and politically it is untenable."
On Jan. 25, Ravalomanana called Rajoelina "a tyrannical dictator," adding, "Incredibly and ironically, the coup leader proclaims himself a champion of democracy and the masses, while banning opponents from the political process, reneging on political agreements, and laying the groundwork for sham elections."
On Jan. 26, Rajoelina said he is considering postponing the legislative elections scheduled for Mar. 20, declaring, "The government is ready to meet with all stakeholders and political parties to discuss the elections. If it is 21, 22 or 23 March, or even earlier, it’s not a problem. No political party or movement will now be able to criticise us that the date of elections is our decision alone."
On Jan. 28, African Union chief Jean Ping expressed concern about the situation in Madagascar, adding, "According to our latest reports, the president of the transition has announced the imminent holding of a meeting of the ‘forces vives’ [a coalition of civil society organisations] and the different political groups to fix the date of an election, in a desire to respect an inclusive and consensual process."
On Feb. 3, following a workshop organized by the ombudsman of Madagascar, Monique Andreas Esoavelomandroso, it was announced that election would take place from May 19 to May 24.
On May 12, in a televised speech, Rajoelina outlined a new timetable, which will feature a constitutional referendum on Aug. 12, the parliamentary ballot on Sept. 30, and a presidential election on Nov. 26. Rajoelina also announced that he would not be a candidate in the presidential election "in order to finish the transition in a neutral manner."
Political Players
President: Andry Rajoelina (Transitional)
Prime minister: Albert Camille Vital
The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.
Legislative Branch: The Parliament has two chambers. Starting in 2007, the National Assembly (Antenimieram-Pirenena / Assemblée Nationale) will have 127 members, elected to four-year terms in single-seat and two-seat constituencies. The Senate (Sénat) has 90 members, 60 members elected to a six-year term, 10 for each province, and 30 members appointed by the president.
Results of Last Election:
President - Dec. 3, 2006
|
|
Vote% |
|
Marc Ravalomanana |
54.80% |
|
Jean Lahiniriko |
11.68% |
|
Roland Ratsiraka |
10.09% |
|
Herizo Razafimahaleo |
9.05% |
|
Norbert Ratsirahonana |
4.20% |
|
Ny Hasina Andriamanjato |
4.17% |
|
Elia Ravelomanantsoa |
2.57% |
|
Pety Rakotoniaina |
1.68% |
|
Jules Randrianjoary |
0.75% |
|
Daniel Rajakoba |
0.65% |
|
Manandafy Rakotonirina |
0.33% |
|
Philippe Tsiranana |
0.02% |
|
Ferdinand Razakarimanana |
0.00% |
|
Roindefo Monja |
0.00% |
National Assembly - Sept. 23, 2007
|
|
Seats |
|
I Love Madagascar (TIM) |
105 |
|
Fanjava Velogno |
2 |
|
Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery (L-F) |
1 |
|
Brun-Ly |
1 |
|
Fampandrosoana Mirindra |
1 |
|
Isandra Mivoatsa |
1 |
|
Liaraike |
1 |
|
Mayors’ Association |
1 |
|
National Wisa Association |
1 |
|
Vohibato Tapa-kevitsa |
1 |
|
Independents |
10 |
|
To be decided in re-vote |
2 |
