Madagascar: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY – Razanamahasoa ejected from the podium

The High Constitutional Court pronounced the dismissal of Christine Razanamahasoa. This decision deprives her of her status as a deputy, but also as the president of the National Assembly.

“The dismissal of Deputy Christine Razanamahasoa is pronounced, with all the legal consequences.” This is the verdict of the High Constitutional Court (HCC) on the request to remove the president of the National Assembly from her duties, filed by the parliamentary group “Isika rehetra miaraka amin’i Andry Rajoelina” (IRD).

The lady at the helm is thus deprived of her status as a deputy. This decision also leads to her removal from the presidency of the Tsimbazaza institution. The judgment was delivered on Thursday, in the late afternoon. A few hours earlier, the members of the HCC had met in the Ambohidahy courtroom for a public hearing. Upon reading the Court’s decision, the elected representative of Ambatofinandrahana was present.

Christine Razanamahasoa was indeed present, accompanied by several opposition deputies, she refused to attend the hearing. Accompanied by her lawyer, she only filed a request for a 48-hour extension of the deadline to submit her defense memorandum and a postponement of the hearing.

Guideline

However, the Ambohidahy Court maintains that the request for a postponement made by the deposed president “is irrelevant.” The reason, according to one of the considerations of Thursday’s decision, is that the request was filed “after the hearing.” On the dismissal, the HCC concludes that “the acts committed by Deputy Christine Razanamahasoa constitute a flagrant violation of the line of conduct of the IRD parliamentary group.”

The dismissal of the elected representative of Ambatofinandrahana is pronounced in accordance with Article 72 of the Constitution. This provision of the Fundamental Law provides, among other things, that “… the dismissal of a deputy can also be pronounced by the High Constitutional Court if he deviates from the line of conduct of his parliamentary group.” Upon reading the decision, the conclusion of the HCC stems from the arguments put forward in the IRD group’s request.

Finally, after several months of uproar over her case, the former President of the Senate, Herimanana Razafimahefa, knows his fate. According to the decision of the High Constitutional Court of March 28th, the request for dismissal filed by the current President of the Senate against Herimanana Razafimahefa is admissible and accepted.

In its decision, the Ambohidahy institution then notes the vacancy in the senatorial position. Willy Sylvain Rabetsaroana, as the second on the Irmar list, replaces the former head of the Palais de verre d’Anosy in the senatorial position.

The now former senator wanted to explain in his defense memorandum the legitimacy of his actions and the exercise of his freedom of expression. For its part, the HCC argues that the fact of disregarding the line of conduct of the parliamentary group and the party is noted. In addition to the seat left vacant following the dismissal of Herimanana Razafimahefa, replaced by Sylvain Rabetsaroana, another position is still vacant after the appointment of Landy Mbolatiana Randriamanantenasoa as Minister of Justice.

Ravo Andriantsalama