At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Madagascar.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President of the High Transitional Authority Andry Nirina RAJOELINA[1]
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Omer BERIZIKY
• Assembly: Madagascar has a bicameral Parliament currently consisting of the Council of the Transition (90 members) and the Congress of the Transition (256 members).

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.

Election Notes:

• The last presidential election was held on December 3, 2006, when Marc RAVALOMANANA won the re-election to the presidency in the first round with 55 percent of the vote. During his second term, opposition leaders began to criticize RAVALOMANANA for increasing corruption and authoritarianism. In January 2009, Andry RAJOELINA, the mayor of Antananarivo, attempted to unconstitutionally remove RAVALOMANANA from office. Protests against the actions of RAVALOMANANA became widespread, following defense forces shooting at protestors attempting to enter the presidential palace, killing 30 people. Following weeks of tension, the military seized the presidential palace, and RAVALOMANANA resigned. RAJOELINA was named interim president, promising fresh elections within 24 months. A framework was drawn-up by a mediation process led by the SADC, prohibiting former heads of state from participating in the next election. RAJOELINA initially announced he would not be a candidate, however, when RAVALOMANANA’s wife, Lalao submitted her candidacy, he went back on this statement. As the framework for the election had not been met, the election has been repeatedly postponed from the initial deadline of the end of 2009. In August 2013, the Malagasy electoral court invalidated the candidacy of RAJOELINA, Lalao RAVALOMANANA, and former president Didier RATSIRAKA, finally clearing the way for elections. The Malagasy Electoral Court has approved 33 candidates to the Independent National Election Commission (CENI-T) to participate in the election.[2]   

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Jean LAHINIRIKO
  • Socialist and Democratic Party for the Unity of Madagascar / Parti socialiste et démocratique pour l’union à Madagascar (PSUDM)
• Pierrot RAJAONARIVELO[3]
  • Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar / Andry sy Rihana Enti-Manavotra an'i Madagasikara (AREMA)
• Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA
  • FIDIO
• Guy RAJEMISON RAKOTOMAHARO[4]
• Roland RATSIRAKA[5]
  • Toamsima Tonga Saina (TTS)
• Jean-Louis ROBINSON[6]
  • AVANA
• Albert Camille VITAL[7]
  • ​ Union / Tambatra

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 22,924,557 (2013)
• Registered Voters: 7,825,305 (October 2013)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 11,499,858 (2013)

·         Is Madagascar a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Madagascar ratified CEDAW: Yes (17 March 1989)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 32 (following the 2010 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 154 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Madagascar a signatory to CRPD: Yes (25 September 2007)

·         Has Madagascar ratified CRPD: Yes (12 June 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 3,438,683 (est.)