Social and Political Roots of Madagascar’s Coup

By ACAS | 24 March 2009

‘The overthrow of Madagascar’s elected president Marc Ravalomanana on 17 March 2009 is the latest setback in long-term efforts to establish political stability in the Indian Ocean island. These date from as long ago as 1972, when demonstrations by young people in the capital Antananarivo and other cities brought down the government of Philibert Tsiranana, the country’s first president after independence from French colonial rule in 1960. One of his successors, Richard Ratsimandrava, was assassinated in 1975 after only six days in office.’ So writes Stephen Ellis in Open Democracy.