Andry Rajoelina in Paris: Long live France!

Andry Rajoelina’s trip to France had been previously announced as a private visit. The president of the HAT proved it to be a lie. He presented his account of Madagascar’s political situation to French parliamentarians. But here is the rub: this intervention was based on an alleged existence of a France-Madagascar parliamentary association. How could such a thing keep on existing when the young putsch maker decided to do away with Madagascar’s parliament when the soldiers boosted his rise to the presidency? 

As a matter of fact, Andry Rajoelina still has to launder his Coup, namely by reducing the year 2009’s crisis to the events of March 17th. His speech remains the same, although it has been failing to convince anyone from the international community: Marc Ravalomanana transferred the power to a military board of directors, which transferred to the mayor of Antananarivo, by then self proclaimed President the High Authority of Transition. It is theoretically true. But both orders, though validated by a High Constitutional Court summoned to do so, are not enough to erase the circumstances of the putsch. 

But who cares? The most important issue is, now, the outcome of the crisis. And France can help because it is eager to do so. Could Paris ignore Brussels? It is not to be held for granted. Andry Rajoelina had the opportunity to display his new year’s good resolutions. He argued that he did not reject the Maputo and Addis Ababa agreements, and that he wanted to implement them his way. However, the president of dictating authority definitely ruled out cohabitation within the executive circle, and would like to create a so-called counter power. Concerning the elections, Andry Rajoelina stuttered a little, but hinted clearly enough for the French audience, that the vote’s postponement was resulting from national unity in action   

Who did help the young Andry Rajoelina to reverse the elected president and the power his as an authority. “Ny frantsay “, revealed Marc Ravalomanana. Was it “the French government” or “some Frenchmen” who restored justice in face of wrong doings after the closing of the Viva TV station? French policy makers, President Nicolas Sarkozy on top of the chart, do not really regret the Malagasy president’s eviction. France’s embassy “sheltered the putsch maker” when anarchy created by his popular movement was reigning in Antananarivo. France’s ambassador appeared, all for most, hurried to get his recognition from the dictating authorities. 

French interests in Madagascar would equally be a significant variable in the political crisis which led to government’s unconstitutional change in 2009. The stake created by currently explored oil fields was a sign of big companies’ contesting greed. But the Ravalomanana regime’s tendency was conciliation for large scale investments from Anglo-Saxons and to the Asians. In 2010, 50 years after the end of colonization, is France really on the verge of recovering its supremacy over Madagascar’s natural wealth as a substantial bonus for being the country’s first bilateral financial backer? The Rajoelina mobility is currently appearing concerned with the SADC’s new control over the African Union, capitalized by the appointment of Malawi’s acting President on top of the continental organization. This might possibly jeopardize the national interests… of France