Editing Madagascar (section)

===Independent state===
{{Main|Malagasy Republic|Democratic Republic of Madagascar|Third Republic of Madagascar}}
[[File:Philibert Tsiranana 1962.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Philibert Tsiranana]], the first [[List of Presidents of Madagascar|president of Madagascar]] (1960–1972)]]
Since regaining independence, Madagascar has transitioned through four republics with corresponding revisions to its constitution. The [[Malagasy Republic|First Republic]] (1960–72), under the leadership of French-appointed President [[Philibert Tsiranana]], was characterized by a continuation of strong economic and political ties to France. Many high-level technical positions were filled by French expatriates, and French teachers, textbooks and curricula continued to be used in schools around the country. Popular resentment over Tsiranana's tolerance for this "neo-colonial" arrangement inspired a [[rotaka|series of farmer and student protests]] that overturned his administration in 1972.<ref name="LOC"/>

[[Gabriel Ramanantsoa]], a major general in the army, was appointed interim president and prime minister that same year, but low public approval forced him to step down in 1975. Colonel [[Richard Ratsimandrava]], appointed to succeed him, was assassinated six days into his tenure. General [[Gilles Andriamahazo]] ruled after Ratsimandrava for four months before being replaced by another military appointee: Vice Admiral [[Didier Ratsiraka]], who ushered in the Marxist–Leninist [[Democratic Republic of Madagascar|Second Republic]] that ran under his tenure from 1975 to 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lechodusud.com/post/%C3%A9lection-pr%C3%A9sidentielle-%C3%A0-madagascar-les-ratsiraka-une-famille-divis%C3%A9e |url-status=dead |title=Élection présidentielle à Madagascar: les Ratsiraka, une famille divisée |access-date=26 August 2023 |work=[[L'Écho du Sud]] |language=fr |archive-date=26 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826105935/https://www.lechodusud.com/post/%C3%A9lection-pr%C3%A9sidentielle-%C3%A0-madagascar-les-ratsiraka-une-famille-divis%C3%A9e }}</ref>

This period saw a political alignment with the [[Eastern Bloc]] countries and a shift toward economic insularity. These policies, coupled with economic pressures stemming from the [[1973 oil crisis]], resulted in the rapid collapse of Madagascar's economy and a sharp decline in living standards,<ref name="LOC"/> and the country had become completely bankrupt by 1979. The Ratsiraka administration accepted the conditions of transparency, anti-corruption measures and free market policies imposed by the International Monetary Fund, [[World Bank]] and various bilateral donors in exchange for their bailout of the nation's broken economy.<ref name=ISS/>

Ratsiraka's dwindling popularity in the late 1980s reached a critical point in 1991 when presidential guards opened fire on unarmed protesters during a rally. Within two months, a transitional government had been established under the leadership of [[Albert Zafy]] (1993–96), who went on to win the 1992 presidential elections and inaugurate the [[Third Republic of Madagascar|Third Republic]] (1992–2010).<ref name="crisisgroup">{{cite web |url=http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/southern-africa/madagascar/166%20Madagascar%20a%20un%20tournant%20critique.ashx |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110725204902/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/southern-africa/madagascar/166%20Madagascar%20a%20un%20tournant%20critique.ashx |archive-date = 25 July 2011 |url-status=dead |title=Madagascar: La Crise a un Tournant Critique? |access-date=25 November 2010 |work=International Crisis Group |language=fr}}</ref> The new [[constitution of Madagascar|Madagascar constitution]] established a multi-party democracy and a separation of powers that placed significant control in the hands of the National Assembly. The new constitution also emphasized human rights, social and political freedoms, and free trade.<ref name="LOC"/> Zafy's term, however, was marred by economic decline, allegations of corruption, and his introduction of legislation to give himself greater powers. He was consequently [[Impeachment|impeached]] in 1996, and an interim president, [[Norbert Ratsirahonana]], was appointed for the three months prior to the next presidential election. Ratsiraka was then voted back into power on a platform of decentralization and economic reforms for a second term which lasted from 1996 to 2001.<ref name=ISS>{{cite journal |last = Marcus |first = Richard |title = Political change in Madagascar: populist democracy or neopatrimonialism by another name? |journal = Occasional Paper No. 89 |publisher = Institute for Security Studies |date = August 2004 |url = http://www.issafrica.org/publications/papers/political-change-in-madagascar-populist-democracy-or-neopatrimonialism-by-another-name |access-date =15 February 2012 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040907223329/http://www.iss.org.za/pubs/papers/89/Paper89.htm |archive-date = 7 September 2004}}</ref>

The contested [[Malagasy presidential election, 2001|2001 presidential elections]] in which then-mayor of Antananarivo, Marc Ravalomanana, eventually emerged victorious, caused a seven-month standoff in 2002 between supporters of Ravalomanana and Ratsiraka. The negative economic impact of the political crisis was gradually overcome by Ravalomanana's progressive economic and political policies, which encouraged investments in education and ecotourism, facilitated foreign direct investment, and cultivated trading partnerships both regionally and internationally. National GDP grew at an average rate of 7&nbsp;percent per year under his administration. In the latter half of his second term, Ravalomanana was criticised by domestic and international observers who accused him of increasing [[authoritarianism]] and corruption.<ref name=ISS/>

Opposition leader and then-mayor of Antananarivo, [[Andry Rajoelina]], led a [[2009 Malagasy political crisis|movement in early 2009]] in which Ravalomanana was pushed from power in an unconstitutional process widely condemned as a ''coup d'état''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ratsimbaharison|first=Adrien|title=The Political Crisis of March 2009 in Madagascar: A Case Study of Conflict and Conflict Mediation|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2017|isbn=978-1-4422-7235-4|location=Lanham, Boulder, New York, London}}</ref> In March 2009, Rajoelina was declared by the Supreme Court as the President of the [[High Transitional Authority]], an interim governing body responsible for moving the country toward presidential elections. In 2010, a new constitution was [[Malagasy constitutional referendum, 2010|adopted by referendum]], establishing a Fourth Republic, which sustained the democratic, multi-party structure established in the previous constitution.<ref name="crisisgroup"/> [[Hery Rajaonarimampianina]] was declared the winner of the [[Malagasy general election, 2013|2013 presidential election]], which the international community deemed fair and transparent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/apps/newsFr/storyF.asp?NewsID=31715&Cr=Madagascar&Cr1=#.UrVg67Sp6RM |title=Centre d'actualités de l'ONU – Madagascar : l'ONU salue le bon déroulement du deuxième tour des élections présidentielles |publisher=Un.org |date=20 December 2013 |access-date=28 June 2017 |archive-date=3 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703112119/http://www.un.org/apps/newsFr/storyF.asp?NewsID=31715&Cr=Madagascar&Cr1=#.UrVg67Sp6RM |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2018 the first round of the [[2018 Malagasy presidential election|presidential election]] was held on 7 November and the second round was held on 10 December. Three former presidents and the most recent president were the main candidates of the elections. Rajoelina won the second round of the elections. Ravalomana lost the second round and he did not accept the results because of allegations of fraud. Rajaonarimampianina received very modest support in the first round. In January 2019 the High Constitutional Court declared Rajoelina as the winner of the elections and the new president.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/6/madagascar-presidential-election-what-you-need-to-know |title=All you need to know about high-stakes Madagascar poll |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=30 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330034449/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/11/6/madagascar-presidential-election-what-you-need-to-know |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/1/8/madagascar-court-declares-rajoelina-as-election-winner |title=Madagascar court declares Rajoelina as election winner |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=21 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121032738/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/1/8/madagascar-court-declares-rajoelina-as-election-winner |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.africanews.com/2018/12/28/madagascar-starts-voting-in-tight-presidential-race/ |title=Madagascar: Ravalomanana challenges results in court, Rajoelina calls for calm |date=28 December 2018 |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108124618/https://www.africanews.com/2018/12/28/madagascar-starts-voting-in-tight-presidential-race// |url-status=live }}</ref>
In June 2019 [[2019 Malagasy parliamentary election|parliamentary elections]] the Rajoelina's won absolute majority of the seats of the National Assembly. It received 84 seats and the supporters of former president Ravalomana got only 16 seats of 151 seats of the National Assembly. 51 seats of deputies were independent or represented small parties. Rajoelina could rule as a [[Strongman (politics)|strongman]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.africanews.com/2019/06/15/madagascar-president-assured-of-winning-majority-seats-in-parliament/ |title=Madagascar President assured of winning majority seats in parliament |date=15 June 2019 |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=30 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030200649/https://www.africanews.com/2019/06/15/madagascar-president-assured-of-winning-majority-seats-in-parliament/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Mid-2021 marked the beginning of the [[2021–2022 Madagascar famine]] which, due to a severe drought, caused hundreds of thousands of people to face [[Food security|food insecurity]] and over one million people were on the verge of a [[famine]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Januta |first1=Andrea |title=Madagascar food crisis caused more by poverty, natural weather than climate change – study |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/madagascar-food-crisis-caused-more-by-poverty-natural-weather-than-climate-2021-12-01/ |work=Reuters |date=1 December 2021 |language=en |access-date=25 January 2022 |archive-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125102959/https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/madagascar-food-crisis-caused-more-by-poverty-natural-weather-than-climate-2021-12-01/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2023, Rajoelina was re-elected to another term with 58.95% of the vote in the first round of the [[2023 Malagasy presidential election|election]] amidst an opposition boycott and a controversy about his acquisition of French citizenship and subsequent eligibility. Turnout was 46.36%, the lowest in a presidential election in the country's history.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 November 2023 |title=Andry Rajoelina: Madagascar president re-elected in contested poll |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67517143 |access-date=26 November 2023 |work=BBC News |archive-date=5 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205020853/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67517143 |url-status=live }}</ref>