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While an opposition platform announced a street raid to protest the law on opposition status, the latter was approved by the Supreme Constitutional Court earlier this month.
as reported from Antananarivo, Laure Verneau
The opposition will be parliamentary or not. This means that the opposition leader must be a member of parliament in order for the state to recognize him. Previously, he could come from civil society.
By being recognized by the government, you can have powers, half of which have been removed from the text: there is no longer a cabinet and staff paid by the state or appointment to the Independent Electoral Commission (Ceni).
It is obvious that the law reduces and minimizes the powers of the opposition leader. For Toavina Ralambomahay, author of the “Status of the Opposition Act” and elected municipal councilor, there is a real democratic problem with this text, as it is even more likely that the leadership position will remain vacant. “It is enough to drum in the deputies, and officially there are no more opposition leaders in the country, at best simple parliamentary opponents,” he explains.
Paradoxically, the status of opposition leader has never been occupied since the first text appeared in 2011. For Toavina Ralambomahay, it is because “the power in place has blocked its application with two opinions from the Supreme Constitutional Court in 2014 and 2017. In addition, Madagascar does not dare to officially oppose “He continues, because it means marginalizing oneself in society and depriving oneself of the opportunities to access government services.”
Now that the text has become applicable again, on the other hand, it is less favorable for the lasting existence of a legal opposition in Madagascar.
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