MADAGASCAR

Summary of Upcoming Elections

PRESIDENTIAL
First Round Scheduled for October 25, 20131 Second Round Scheduled for December 20, 2013 The Office of Executive President of Madagascar

PARLIAMENTARY
Scheduled for December 20, 20132 127 seats in the House of Assembly

ELECTION ANALYSIS
The 2006 presidential elections held in Madagascar were considered relatively free and transparent. However, the military seized control of Antananarivo, the capital, and ousted Marc Ravalomanana, the elected President in 2009, and subsequently took control of the government. Soon after, the military installed Andry Rajoelina at the helm. Rajoelina has been in power since. Since the last elections, the country has witnessed numerous political demonstrations staged by a disgruntled and restive population. As a result of the coup in 2009, the country has been isolated by the international community and deprived of foreign aid. 3 The upcoming elections are expected to test whether or not Madagascar has been able to find a suitable middle ground in electing a qualified leader. Finally, Madagascars high poverty rates are expected to be a significant factor, as people in rural areas undergo subsistence hardship.

Summary of Previous Elections 4 Presidential Elections December 3, 2006 Population and number of registered voters: Total population: 18,595,469 Registered Voters: 7 ,317 ,790

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Results: Candidate Marc Ravalomanana Jean Lahiniriko Iarovana Roland Ratsiraka Herizo Jossicher Razafimahaleo Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana Ny Hasina Andriamanjato Elia Ravelomanantsoa Pety Rakotoniaina Jules Randrianjoary Daniel Rajakoba Rakotonirina Manadafy Philippe Madiomanana Tsiranana Party I Love Madagascar (TIM) Independent Independent Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery (Leader-Fanilo) Judged by Ones Works (AVI) Independent Our Madagascar Tambatra (Union) Independent Fihavanantsika Movement for the Progress of Madagascar (MFM) Independent Votes 2,435,199 517 ,994 450,717 401,473 % of Votes 54.79% 11.65% 10.14% 9.03%

186,355 187 ,552 113,897 74,566 33,463 28,363 14,712 1,128

4.22% 4.18% 2.56% 1.68% 0.75% 0.64% 0.33% 0.03%

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Parliamentary Elections December 15, 20025 The National Assembly Population and number of registered voters: Total Population: 16,473,4806 Registered Voters: 58445647 Results: 8 Party I Love Madagascar (TIM) National Union (Firaisankinam-Pirenena) Rebirth of the Social Democratic Party (RPSD) Vanguard of the Malagasy Revolution (AREMA) Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery (Leader-Fanilo) Toamasina Tonga Saina United Popular Forces (Herim-Bahoaka Mitambatra) Independent Candidates Tiako I Madagasikara (TIM) / Number of Seats (160) 103 22 5 3 2 2 1 2

MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES9

I Love Madagascar Please refer to the following webpage for more information: http://www.tim-madagascar.org/ Firaisankinam-Pirenena / National Union Please refer to the following webpage for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/National_Union_%28Madagascar%29 Rnaissance du Parti Social-Dmocratique (RPSD) / Rebirth of the Social Democratic Party Please refer to the following webpage for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Rebirth_of_the_Social_Democratic_Party

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Driving Issues
Madagascar has long been host to racial and ethnic tensions that have often unsettled the countrys political scene. Due to past military conquest and long-standing political dominance, the socioeconomic status of the merina (highland people) is considered to be higher than that of the cotier (coastal people). 10 Discrimination has played a significant role with determining who was been able to secure government positions. There are also concerns about ballot stuffing, conflicts of interest i.e. government officials participating as electoral officials, and restricted media coverage of opposition parties and candidates.11 The growing numbers of unemployed youth is also a sensitive issue in this election cycle.12 The Malagasy government has been working in conjunction with organizations such as the National Independent Electoral Commission for the Transition (CENI-T), United Nations and its subgroups, European Union, and various countries (i.e. Switzerland, Norway, South Korea, etc.). Responsible for all of the logistical aspects of the electoral process, the CENI-T has been working diligently to achieve the goal of hosting the elections in July as scheduled. However, given the amount of international influence that the CENI-T is party to, it is often engaging in a sort of balancing act between keeping its international supporters/ donors appeased and working towards the pacification of local groups.

Endnotes
1 IFES Election Guide. (2010, 07 November). Election Profile: Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.electionguide.org/country.php?ID=129

Structure of the Executive Branch Chief of State: President Head of Government: Prime Minister Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Prime Minister (Source: CIA World Factbook. (2013, 22 March). Africa: Madagascar. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/ publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ma.html) IFES Election Guide. (2010, 23 July). Election Profile: Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.electionguide. org/country.php?ID=129

Structure of the Legislative Branch Bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (Snat) and National Assembly (Assemble Nationale) (100 seats; twothirds of the members appointed by regional assemblies; 227 total seats Senate: 100 seats two-thirds of the members appointed by regional assemblies; remaining one-third appointed by the president (members to serve four-year terms) National Assembly: 127 seats members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms (reduced from 160 seats by an April 2007 national referendum) (Source: CIA World Factbook. (2013, 22 March). Africa: Madagascar. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/ publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ma.html) BBC. (2013, 21 January). Madagascar Profile. Retrieved from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13861843 IFES Election Guide. (2010, 23 July). Election Profile: Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.electionguide. org/country.php?ID=129 Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa. (June 2010). Madagascar: 2002 National Assembly Election Results. Retrieved from: http://www.eisa.org. za/WEP/mad2002results.htm

3 4

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Index Mundi. (2011, 1 January). Population Demographics: Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?v=21&c=ma&l=en Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa. (June 2010). Madagascar: 2002 National Assembly Election Results. Retrieved from: http://www.eisa.org. za/WEP/mad2002results.htm

8 9

Ibid. There is a lack of literature available on the topic of Malagasy political parties.

10 Freedom House. (2013, 25 March). Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2006/madagascar 11 National Democratic Institute. (2006, 16 November). Statement of NDI Pre-Election Delegation to the December 3, 2006 Madagascar Presidential Election. Retrieved from: http://www.ndi.org/files/Madagascar_PreElection_ Statement_111606_ENG.pdf 12 African Economic Outlook. (2012, 22 June). Madagascar. Retrieved from: http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/ en/countries/southern-africa/madagascar/

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