Madagascar’s Political Crisis

Lauren Ploch
Analyst in African Affairs

The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar has experienced protracted political instability since early 2009, when tensions between the country’s president, Marc Ravalomanana, and Andry Rajoelina, the former mayor of the country’s capital city, Antananarivo, escalated, culminating in President Ravalomanana’s forced removal from office. The unconstitutional change of power and resulting political impasse has had a negative impact on economic growth and development efforts. The political uncertainty has strained relations between international donors and Madagascar, which was the first country to sign a U.S. Millennium Challenge Account compact in 2005, worth an estimated $110 million. That compact was terminated in May 2009, based on the U.S. government’s determination that Madagascar had experienced a military coup d’etat.

In March 2009, under pressure from mutinous soldiers and large crowds of protestors, President Ravalomanana fled the country. The military then conferred state authority to Rajoelina, who has since held power under a self-declared transitional government. Periodic demonstrations by Ravalomanana supporters following the takeover led to violent clashes with security forces. Negotiations in August 2009 between the parties led to the signing of an agreement in Maputo, Mozambique to establish an inclusive, transitional government, but Rajoelina subsequently appointed a new government seen to be primarily composed of his own supporters. Southern African leaders and Madagascar’s opposition parties rejected the proposed government, and negotiations resumed. To date, the country’s political parties have failed to reach consensus on a way forward toward democratic elections.

Following coups elsewhere in Africa in 2008, the African Union, the United States, and the European Union, among others, warned against an unconstitutional transfer of power on the island nation and have since suspended most foreign aid. The African Union has imposed targeted sanctions on individuals in the de facto government. The African Union and the Southern African Development Community have also suspended Madagascar from their respective regional organizations until constitutional order is restored. The Malagasy government’s budget has traditionally been heavily dependent on donor aid, and the current international aid restrictions have significantly affected government spending.

Madagascar ranks among the world’s poorest countries, with more than two-thirds of the population living below the poverty line. The country is the world’s fourth largest island and is extremely biologically diverse, with as many as 150,000 species of flora and fauna that are unique to the island. Madagascar faces a host of environmental pressures, however, and the U.S. State Department reports that illegal logging and endangered wildlife exports have substantially increased since the current de facto government assumed power. Congress has expressed concern with threats to Madagascar’s unique ecosystem, as well as with the country’s ongoing political and development challenges. The House of Representatives passed legislation in 2009, H.Res. 839, condemning the 2009 coup and the illegal extraction of Madagascar’s natural resources.


Date of Report: July 11, 2011
Number of Pages: 14
Order Number: R40448
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