The Country - Madagascar - page 47

POLITICAL CRISIS 2002 The official results of 2001 elections showed the mayor of
Antananarivo(Tana),MarcRavalomanana,leadingwith46%sothatasecondroundwould
be necessary. Results collected by observer groups indicating Ravalomanana was actually
the outright winner with 52% were rejected by the incumbent president Ratsiraka. Both
mendeclaredvictory.Ravalomananainstalledhisownministersingovernmentofficesand
Ratsiraka retreated with his government to his hometown of Toamasina.
Theworldlookedonasthefarcical situationofonecountrywithtwopresidentsandtwo
capital cities descended into stalemate. In an attempt to gain the upper hand, Ratsiraka's
supporters isolated Tana by dynamiting the bridges on the main transport routes into the
city. The people of Tana faced a tenfold increase in the price of fuel, and basic staples such
as rice, sugar and salt disappeared from the shops. Flights were grounded. As the months
passed, the blockade caused malnutrition and death to the vulnerable in Tana and hardship
to all. Many businesses faced bankruptcy.
Eventually the balance of power slowly shifted and Ratsiraka finally fled to France. The
USA, Norway and Switzerland were the first nations to recognise Ravalomanana as right-
fulpresident.France,whichhadprolongedthecrisisbydelayingrecognitionbecauseofits
close links with Ratsiraka, was finally compelled to go along with this, followed by most
European countries, which had been awaiting a lead from France. However most African
presidents, who had supported Ratsiraka as a fellow member of their dictators' club, con-
tinued to reject Ravalomanana's legitimacy and it was nearly a year before Madagascar
was readmitted to the African Union.
SIX YEARS OF PROGRESS Once safely in power, Ravalomanana set about rebuilding
theinfrastructure, launchinganambitious road-buildingprogramme,andputtinginmotion
his Durban Vision (see Click Here ) with the aim of conserving the environment by tripling
the protected areas. He is also credited with significant improvements in education, health
and the reduction of corruption.
Asasuccessfulbusinessman,Ravalomanana understoodwelltheimportanceofpromot-
ing foreign trade and investment. But his business approach to politics was also to contrib-
ute heavily to his eventual downfall.
POLITICAL CRISIS 2009 Well into Ravalomanana's second term in office, the young
mayor of Tana, Andry Rajoelina, made an unexpected challenge to his presidency. Ac-
cusing Ravalomanana of undemocratic behaviour and abuse of his position, Rajoelina
mustered sufficient military and popular support to stage a successful coup d'état. Rava-
lomanana fled to mainland Africa when the self-appointed High Transitional Authority
vowed to capture and imprison him. See the box on Click Here for a first-hand description
of how the coup unfolded.