Magistrate status has been defined by the President.

Marc Ravalomanana, the president of the Republic, has signed into law new rules governing judges, their status and their specific mission. This legislation was previously a severe point of contention even  provoking a strike by judges who perceived the president to be taking the hard line. The Nouvelles writes,? After having been the subject of much angry diatribe from the SMM (Judges Society of Madagascar) for several years, the new legislation concerning judges has been finally made into law. This newly decreed law risks to raise more hackles before this issue is settled. The National Assembly has not been given an opportunity to have a say about this decree while the Senate for their part have already spoken. In December 2005, The National Assembly debated this issue on Project n°035/2004 of 14 July 2004 regarding basic changes to the law and status of judges but all their debate brought no agreement and no vote ever decided the issue.  Naturally everyone concerned thought this issue was to be put on the back burner, but surprisingly here we go again!?