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Madagascar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Politics
More information on politics and government of
Madagascar can be found at Politics of Madagascar, the main article in the
Politics and government of Madagascar series.
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 dictator 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. During this period a strategy of nationalization
of private enterprises, centralization of the economy and
"Malgasization" of the education system crippled the economy, leaving
traces even today of a highly centralized economic system and a high level of illiteracy.
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 ("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 Iavoloha,
the suburban presidential 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 FFKM (Malagasy Christian Council
of Churches) 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
Hery Velona 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[3]. A political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka
supporters destroyed bridges and cut major transport routes from the primary
port city to the capital to isolate 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 Betsimisaraka 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.
On November 18, 2006 General
Fidy supposedly declared a military coup of President Marc Ravalomanana's
government[4] though he later denied this action,
claming to have simply openly called for the president to stand down, with no
threat of violence.[5]
The December 3 election
since went on without incident, re-electing Ravalomanana with 54.80 percent of
the vote.[6]
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 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. Madagascar is also part of the Indian Ocean
Commission.
Administrative
Divisions
During the second
republic (1975-1991), Madagascar was divided into five levels of government:
- Faritany (province)
- Fivondronana (or
fivondronampokontany)
- Firaisana (or
firaisampokontany)
- Fokontany
- Fokonolona
Today, there are four
levels of division:
- Faritany mizakatena (autonomous province)
- Faritra (region)
- Departemanta (department)
- Kaominina (commune)
The constitution of 1992
ruled that the country should be decentralized into territorial entities. The
name, number, and limits of territorial entities should be determined by law. The
law passed by the national assembly in 1994 defined three such entity levels: region
(faritra), department (departemanta) and commune (kaominina). The communes were
created in 1996.
With Didier Ratsiraka back
in power, the constitution was changed in 1998, to include and specifically
mention six autonomous provinces, divided into undefined regions and communes. The
autonomous provinces, having the same names and territories as the already
existing provinces, were created in 2000.
During the power struggle
after the presidential elections in 2001, five of those provinces, whose
governors supported Ratsiraka, declared themselves independent from the republic.
The new president, Ravalomanana, replaced the provincial governments by special
delegations, appointed by the president. This effectively means that the
autonomous provinces have ceased to exist as such, although it remains unclear
whether they will remain in place.
In 2004, the regions were
finally created by the national assembly in law no. 2004-001. Meanwhile the 28
regions originally proposed had become 22. Although they are subdivisions of
the provinces, they are representatives (and representing the people) of the
republic, not the province. The regions will also take over the assets of the
"ex-Fivondronampokontany". It is also mentioned that the communes are
the only entities that are operational, and there will be an unspecified period
of transition to the new system. The departments are not mentioned in the law,
instead the designation "components" of the regions is used. It
appears that the departments will be based on the Fivondronampokontany,
although it is unclear whether they are already in place and what it means that
the assets will be taken over by the regions.
Provinces
and regions
Madagascar is divided into
six autonomous provinces (faritany mizakatena), which in turn are
divided into 22 regions:
- Antananarivo (1)
Analamanga
Bongolava
Itasy
Vakinankaratra
- Antsiranana (2)
Diana
Sava
- Fianarantsoa (3)
Amoron'i Mania
Atsimo Atsinanana
Haute-Matsiatra
Ihorombe
Vatovavy-Fitovinany
- Mahajanga (4)
Betsiboka
Boeny
Melaky
Sofia
- Toamasina (5)
Alaotra Mangoro
Analanjirofo
Atsinanana
- Toliara (6)
Androy
Anosy
Atsimo Andrefana
Menabe
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madagascar&action=history
Politics
More information on politics and government of
Madagascar can be found at Politics of Madagascar, the main article in the
Politics and government of Madagascar series.
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 dictator 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. During this period a strategy of nationalization
of private enterprises, centralization of the economy and
"Malgasization" of the education system crippled the economy, leaving
traces even today of a highly centralized economic system and a high level of illiteracy.
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 ("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 Iavoloha,
the suburban presidential 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 FFKM (Malagasy Christian Council
of Churches) 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
Hery Velona 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[3]. A political crisis followed in which Ratsiraka
supporters destroyed bridges and cut major transport routes from the primary
port city to the capital to isolate 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 Betsimisaraka 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.
On November 18, 2006 General
Fidy supposedly declared a military coup of President Marc Ravalomanana's
government[4] though he later denied this action,
claming to have simply openly called for the president to stand down, with no
threat of violence.[5]
The December 3 election
since went on without incident, re-electing Ravalomanana with 54.80 percent of
the vote.[6]
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 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. Madagascar is also part of the Indian Ocean
Commission.
Administrative
Divisions
|
During the second
republic (1975-1991), Madagascar was divided into five levels of government:
|
Today, there are four
levels of division:
|
The constitution of 1992
ruled that the country should be decentralized into territorial entities. The
name, number, and limits of territorial entities should be determined by law. The
law passed by the national assembly in 1994 defined three such entity levels: region
(faritra), department (departemanta) and commune (kaominina). The communes were
created in 1996.
With Didier Ratsiraka back
in power, the constitution was changed in 1998, to include and specifically
mention six autonomous provinces, divided into undefined regions and communes. The
autonomous provinces, having the same names and territories as the already
existing provinces, were created in 2000.
During the power struggle
after the presidential elections in 2001, five of those provinces, whose
governors supported Ratsiraka, declared themselves independent from the republic.
The new president, Ravalomanana, replaced the provincial governments by special
delegations, appointed by the president. This effectively means that the
autonomous provinces have ceased to exist as such, although it remains unclear
whether they will remain in place.
In 2004, the regions were
finally created by the national assembly in law no. 2004-001. Meanwhile the 28
regions originally proposed had become 22. Although they are subdivisions of
the provinces, they are representatives (and representing the people) of the
republic, not the province. The regions will also take over the assets of the
"ex-Fivondronampokontany". It is also mentioned that the communes are
the only entities that are operational, and there will be an unspecified period
of transition to the new system. The departments are not mentioned in the law,
instead the designation "components" of the regions is used. It
appears that the departments will be based on the Fivondronampokontany,
although it is unclear whether they are already in place and what it means that
the assets will be taken over by the regions.
Provinces
and regions
Madagascar is divided into
six autonomous provinces (faritany mizakatena), which in turn are
divided into 22 regions:
Analamanga Bongolava Itasy Vakinankaratra
Diana Sava |
Amoron'i Mania Atsimo Atsinanana Haute-Matsiatra Ihorombe Vatovavy-Fitovinany
Betsiboka Boeny Melaky Sofia |
Alaotra Mangoro Analanjirofo Atsinanana
Androy Anosy Atsimo Andrefana Menabe |
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Madagascar&action=history