At stake in this Referendum:

• A referendum to approve a new constitution.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Andry RAJOELINA *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Albert Camille VITAL
• Assembly: Madagascar has a bicameral Legislature consisting of the Senate (Sénat) with 90 seats and the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 160 seats.

* Marc RAVALOMANANA, the elected president, resigned on March 17, 2009, turning power over to the military. The military then named RAJOELINA.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
• The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
• In the Senate (Sénat), 60 members are indirectly elected by regions to serve 5-year terms and 30 members are appointed by the President to serve 5-year terms. In the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale), 115 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms and 12 members are elected by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms.**

** The 12 seats elected under SNTV are from two-member constituencies. Interim President Andry RAJOELINA dismissed the legislature on 19 March 2009.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• A Referendum to approve a new constitution.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 21,079,532 (2010)
• Registered Voters: 7,151,223 (November 2010)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 10,579,699 (2010)

·         Is Madagascar a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Madagascar ratified CEDAW: Yes (17 March 1989)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 12 (following the 2007 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 154 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Madagascar a signatory to CRPD: Yes (25 September 2007)

·         Has Madagascar ratified CRPD: Yes (12 June 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 3,161,929 (est.)