The Arema party is planning to return to power during the fourth Republic

Some former parliamentarians, namely Merci Ratoabolamanana and Charles Andriamahefa, as well as Arema party militants celebrated Didier Ratsiraka’s birthday, in his absence, in Antananarivo the capital city. 

The Malagasy former president turned 73 on November 4th. The partisans of the red admiral now have renewed hope to see the Arema party’s founding father make his come back through the fourth Republic’s poles.  

The Arema militants did obviously not appreciate the way the former dictator had to leave the power in 2002, after several months of post-electoral crisis.  

The former parliamentarians even recalled that a show concerning Didier Ratsiraka broadcasted by Andry Rajoelina’s TV channel actually triggered the street protests against Marc Ravalomanana, when Viva TV was silenced by the authorities. For the Arema militants, Didier Ratsiraka definitely was the mastermind of the protests against Ravalomanana, seen that the major part of the crowd supportive of Andry Rajoelina in the street was made of Arema militants.    

Although physically very weakened but pushed by very motivated militants, Didier Ratsiraka is very likely to run in the next presidential election of the Great Isle. He has certainly cast Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, former national Secretary of the Arema, away from the party’s leadership on this account.