Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Didier RATSIRAKA (since 10 February 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Tantely Rene Gabriot ANDRIANARIVO
(since NA 1998)
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: Didier RATSIRAKA elected president; percent of
vote—Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (AFFA) 49.3%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
to serve four-year terms); note—the legislature is scheduled to
become a bicameral Paliament with the establishment of a Senate;
two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional
assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the
remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president;
the total number of seats will be determined by the National
Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms
elections: National Assembly—last held 17 May 1998 (next to be held
NA 2002)
election results: National Assembly—percent of vote by party—NA;
seats by party—AREMA 62, LEADER/Fanilo 15, AVI 14, RPSD 11, AFFA 6,
MFM 3, AKFM/Fanavaozana 3, GRAD/Iloafo 1, Fihaonana 1, independents
34
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High
Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)
Political parties and leaders: Association for the Rebirth of
RAKOTONIRINA]; Congress Party for Malagasy Independence or
and Action for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD/Iloafo
RAZANAMASY]
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of
Christian Churches or FFKM; Federalist Movement
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC,
ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Biclair
Henri ANDRIANANTOANDRO
chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Howard T.
PERLOW
embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
mailing address: B. P. 620, Antananarivo
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side