UntitledPolitical Context
Since the reintroduction of multiparty democracy in 1992, Madagascar has held a number of highly competitive and controversial elections. The December 2001 presidential contest resulted in a dispute over whether the challenger, Marc Ravalomanana, secured more than 50 percent of the vote and thus whether a runoff against incumbent Didier Ratsiraka was necessary. Prior to reaching a final resolution in May 2002 whereby Ravalomanana was declared the winner, attempts on behalf of domestic and international actors to mediate the dispute were unsuccessful and the country drifted toward civil unrest.
Madagascar’s complex legal framework for the organization and oversight of elections was a contributing factor to the controversy following the 2001 election. Despite promises from political leaders to reform the electoral framework, the administrative structures and laws governing elections have remained largely unchanged and are out of sync with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. The December 2006 presidential election was largely peaceful and resulted in re-election to a second five year term for President Ravalomanana. While domestic election observer groups affirmed that the results of the 2006 contest reflected the will of the Malagasy people, they recommended that steps be taken to implement electoral reforms to align Madagascar with regional standards. Such reforms would increase overall transparency and accountability in the electoral process and reduce the potential for election-related conflicts.
NDI Programs
In September 2006, NDI launched a program to enhance prospects for more transparent and credible elections in Madagascar. The Institute conducted a pre-election assessment in November to evaluate the electoral environment and offer recommendations to build voter confidence and increase transparency prior to the polls NDI has also been providing support to a civic organization, the Comité National pour l’Observation des Elections (National Committee for Election Observation - CNOE), to conduct nonpartisan election observation activities and advocate for electoral reform. With assistance from NDI, CNOE conducted a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the December 2006 presidential election that determined that the final results reflected the will of Malagasy voters. Shortly after the elections, CNOE held press conferences and developed public statements that detailed their observations and recommendations for reforms to improve transparency and public confidence in advance of future elections. In the post-election phase, the Institute has been working with CNOE to build its capacity to promote electoral reform and identify ways the electoral process could be strengthened.
Contact Information
For more information on NDI's work in Madagascar please contact:
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