Government type: republic
National capital: Antananarivo
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo,
Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliary
Independence: 26 June 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 June (1960)
Constitution: 19 August 1992 by national referendum
Legal system: based on French civil law system and traditional
Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA; (since 10 February 1997) note - President Albert ZAFY impeached by the High Constitutional Court on 5 September 1996; Prime Minister Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY served as interim president until the election of President RATSIRAKA and then retired from the office of prime minister head of government: Prime Minister Pascal RAKOTOMAVO (since 21 February 1997) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: percent of the popular vote for president - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (UNDD) 49.3%; percent of the National Assembly vote for prime minister - NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate or Senat (two-thirds of upper house seats are to be filled from popularly elected regional assemblies; the remaining third is to be filled by presidential appointment; members serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (138 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Assembly - last held 16 June 1993 (next to be held 3 August 1997) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CFV coalition 76, PMDM/MFM 16, CSCD 11, Famima 10, RPSD 7, various pro-Ratsiraka groups 10, others 8 note: the Senate has never been established because the regional assemblies have not been formed and are not expected to be formed before late in 1997, following a national referendum on a new constitution