Constitution: controversial draft and referendum

 
The HAT has its Constitution drafted. The president of the constitutional advisory Committee (CCC) insured that the proposed text was made of propositions stemming from citizens, political parties and from the civil society and in no way the state. president Florent Rakotoarisoa tried to reassure while arguing that the chief of the dictating authority decided to refrain from presenting his Constitutional proposal for the sake of affirming the committee’s independence. And yet, Andry Rajoelina and his Prime minister Camille Vital are the ones officially « recieving » the Constitutional draft. A HAT Cabinet Minister is going to validate the draft to be proposed at the referendum on November 17th, 2010, for lack of a national assembly.  
 
Will there be any change compared to the resolutions stemming from the national conference, probably not any. TGV delegates made good work during the meeting in Ivato. The project of Constitution has been set to measure. The candidate’s minimum compulsory age for presidential election (35 years) is adapted without surprise to Andry Rajoelina who is actally 36. The limiting 60 years old has been dropped. The HAT conference found another alternative to rule out the adversaries, namely the former presidents in exile: the candidate must be settled on the Republic of Madagascar’s territory since at least the latest six months to the day he stands as a candidate. 
 
The Constitutional draft equally presents some curiosities, part of which small new institutions supposed to limit the president’s power. A so named Circle of Prevention of the Fihavanana, probably meant to be composed by traditional chiefs, will have a political role when being consulted by the chief of state before dissolving a national assembly. As  deputies are the ones dimmed to designate the Prime minister in this regime half presidential and half parliamentarian, this small detail is likely to be relevant. The circle will also have the prerogative to suggest an amnesty law to the national assembly, as a way to comfort the anti-HAT or the supporters of a general amnesty.  
 
The HAT Prime minister already confirmed that the Constitutional project adopted by the national conference was correct. The opposition and the resistance to the dictating authority don’t desist however. « A constitutional referendum mustn’t come into completion, if it ever does, it is going to drive Madagascar straight to the bottom of the pit », emphasized Lalatiana Ravololomanana, from the Zafy political sphere. She subsequently called upon mobilization from the civil society, the CNOSC, and upon support from the international community for the sake of finding an agreement in the management of a consensual and inclusive transition.  
 
As far as Fetison Andrianirina, from the « Ravalomanana sphere, the referendum is inconvenient, since such an early vote of his constitutional draft will not drive to the settlement of a crisis that has been lasting and burdening during these latest 50 years; for not having been elaborated by all sides, this draft is everything but mature ». The opposition’s three sphere are likely to ignore the referendum in not to grant any pledge to this unilateral polling proces. Otherwise, they should logically still vote No.