New Madagascar Leader Prepares for Installation

By Scott Bobb

Antananarivo
20 March 2009

The head of Madagascar's new transitional authority is preparing to
take the oath of office despite criticism from the international
community and its suspension from the African Union.

Madagascar's new leader, Andry
Rajoelina, takes the oath of office Saturday amid hope that his
transitional government will end months of political instability.

The
country's Supreme Constitutional Court says he will not be inaugurated
and will not be called president of the republic because he was not
chosen through a democratic election as required by the constitution.

The
former opposition leader came to power after his predecessor, Marc
Ravalomanana, resigned and handed power to the military. The military
then handed power to Mr. Rajoelina.

A leading authority on
constitutional law, Antananarivo University President Jean-Eric
Rakotoarisoa, blames the former president for Madagascar's situation.

He
says we left the constitution when Mr. Ravalomanana transferred his
powers to the military. The president may only resign his office and
then the president of the Senate assumes the presidency temporarily.

Rakotoarisoa
says Madagascar is now on the path back to legitimacy because it is
entering a transition between two democratic regimes.

The
controversial transfer was endorsed this week by Madagascar's
Constitutional Court which has become the source of legitimacy for the
fledgling regime.

Mr. Rajoelina's transitional authority that is
to oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections within two
years. The authority's members will come from political parties, civil
society and the military.

It is hoped that the new structure
will end months of civil unrest that killed more than 100 people and
paralyzed economic activity.

The new government's prime minister, Monja Roindefo, told VOA the first task is to restore stability.

"The
top priorities are to reestablish order, public security, to secure
[assure] international investors in Madagascar, to secure multilateral,
bilateral cooperation," he said. "We have to give them guarantees that
we have taken the power not to cut everything [relations] but in order
to improve."

He said other goals are to re-establish democracy and create a government that is open to all political tendencies.

But
his government is meeting some international resistance. The African
Union Friday suspended Madagascar saying the new government is
unconstitutional.

The Southern African Development Community, the European Union and the United States agree.

Prime
Minister Roindefo rejects the charge. "The African Union charter says
first that the people have the right to defend themselves against the
oppression of a dictator," he said. "So it is a universal right. We are
within the framework of a universal quest for democracy."

He
says his government will continue to plead its case before its
international partners because it needs their assistance now more than
ever.