nt: Prime Minister Pascal RAKOTOMAVO (since 21
February 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates
nominated by the National Assembly
election results: percent of the popular vote for president-Didier
RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 50.7%, Albert ZAFY (UNDD) 49.3%; percent of the
National Assembly vote for prime minister-NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (138 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Senate or
Senat (two-thirds of Senate seats are to be filled from popularly
elected regional assemblies; the remaining third is to be filled by
presidential appointment; members serve four-year terms); note-the
establishment of the Senate has been indefinitely postponed; the total
number of seats in the Senate will be determined by the National
Assembly
elections: National Assembly-last held 16 June 1993 (next to be held
May 1998)
election results: National Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats
by party - CFV coalition 76, PMDM/MFM 16, CSCD 11, Famima 10, RPSD 7,
various pro-Ratsiraka groups 10, others 8

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme); High Constitutional
Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle)

Political parties and leaders: Committee of Living Forces or CFV, an
alliance of National Union for Development and Democracy or UNDD
[Emmanuel RAKOTOVAHINY, president], Support Committee for Democracy
and Development in Madagascar or CSDDM [Francisque RAVONY, president],
Action and Reflection Group for the Development of Madagascar or GRAD,
Congress Party for Madagascar Independence-Renewal or AKFM-Fanavaozana
[Richard ANDRIAMANJATO, president], and some 12 other parties, trade
unions, and religious groups; Association of United Malagasys or
Famima [Didier RATSIRAKA, leader]; Confederation of Civil Societies
for Development or CSCD [Guy Willy RAZANAMASY]; Militant Party for the
Development of Madagascar or PMDM/MFM, formerly the Movement for
Proletarian Power [Manandafy RAKOTONIRINA]; Rally for Social Democracy
or RPSD [Evariste MARSON, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Council of Christian
Churches or FFKM; Federalist Movement

International organization particip