Jean Lahiniriko
Encyclopedia
Jean Lahiniriko is a Malagasy
politician
. He served in the government of Madagascar as Minister of Public Works from 2002 to 2003 and was President of the National Assembly of Madagascar
from 2003 to 2006. Subsequently he was the second place candidate in the 2006 presidential election
. He is now the President of the Socialist and Democratic Party for the Unity of Madagascar (PSDUM) and a member of the High Authority of the Transition under President Andry Rajoelina
.
Lahiniriko was born in Tongobory
, Atsimo-Andrefana
in the south of Madagascar and studied at the Lycée de génie civil d'Ampefoloha à Antananarivo. In the late 1970s, he moved to undertake further studies in civil engineering
in Cuba
. After working on various civil engineering projects, in 1985, he became the director of Zanatany, then from 1989 until 2003 he held various prominent civil service
posts.
Under President Marc Ravalomanana
, Lahiniriko was appointed as the Minister of Public Works in Prime Minister Jacques Sylla
's first government, named on March 1, 2002, remaining in that position until January 2003. He was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2002 parliamentary election
from the Betioky Sud district in Toliara Province
under the banner of the Tiako I Madagasikara
(TIM) party, receiving 56% of the vote in his district. On January 21, 2003, he was elected as President of the National Assembly, receiving 113 out of 146 votes.
In April 2006, Lahiniriko visited Iran
and while there commented positively on Iran's nuclear programme
. At home, his comments led to accusations of treason from members of parliament; Lahiniriko said the comments had only represented his personal views and were not intended as a statement of official policy. On May 8, the National Assembly voted Lahiniriko out of his position as its President, with 119 out of 160 legislators in favor of his removal. He was also expelled from TIM a week before he was voted out of his position. Two days after being removed from office, he announced that he would run for President in the December 2006 presidential election. According to official results, he placed second, with 11.65% of the vote, behind Ravalomanana, who received a majority in the first round. Lahiniriko received his strongest support in his home province of Toliara, where he won 45.95% of the vote, ten points more than Ravalomanana.
Lahiniriko's campaign director called the results false and said that Ravalomanana had only won about 49%. Lahiniriko claimed that there were problems with the electoral list and said that he did not accept the official results. He and third place candidate Roland Ratsiraka
said that they were challenging the results in court and that they wanted the election to be held over again.
Lahiniriko opposed the constitutional changes proposed in the 2007 constitutional referendum
and participated in a national committee that campaigned for a "no" vote as a coordinator of action.
Lahiniriko launched a new party, the Socialist and Democratic Party for the Unity of Madagascar (PSDUM), in early February 2007, with himself as its President. He stood for re-election to his National Assembly seat from Betioky Sud district as a PSDUM candidate in the September 2007 parliamentary election
; running against him was the TIM candidate, André Avison Tsitohery, who was elected as Lahiniriko's substitute in the 2002 election. Tsitohery defeated Lahiniriko by a large margin according to provisional results, winning 52.06% of the vote against Lahiniriko's 22.39%, a difference of 11,600 votes; however, Lahiniriko's supporters disputed this, claiming he was actually ahead of Tsitohery by 2,873 votes.
Ravalomanana was forced to resign amidst a political crisis in March 2009, and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina
took power. Rajoelina set up the High Authority of the Transition (HAT) as the ruling body, and Lahiniriko was appointed as one of the HAT's 44 members on March 31, 2009.
Lahiniriko is a member of the Lutheran Church of Madagascar.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served in the government of Madagascar as Minister of Public Works from 2002 to 2003 and was President of the National Assembly of Madagascar
National Assembly of Madagascar
The Parliament has two chambers. The lower house is the National Assembly .The Assembly has 160 members, elected for a four year term in single-member and two-member constituencies...
from 2003 to 2006. Subsequently he was the second place candidate in the 2006 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 2006
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 December 2006. President Marc Ravalomanana, in office since he prevailed in a dispute over election results in 2002, ran for re-election...
. He is now the President of the Socialist and Democratic Party for the Unity of Madagascar (PSDUM) and a member of the High Authority of the Transition under President Andry Rajoelina
Andry Rajoelina
Andry Nirina Rajoelina , born May 30 1974, is the former mayor of Antananarivo who became transitional head of state of Madagascar on March 21, 2009 after the 2009 Malagasy political crisis....
.
Lahiniriko was born in Tongobory
Tongobory
Tongobory is a town and commune in southwest Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Betioky, which is a part of Atsimo-Andrefana Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 21,000 in 2001 commune census....
, Atsimo-Andrefana
Atsimo-Andrefana
Atsimo Andrefana is a region of Madagascar. It borders Menabe in north, Amoron'i Mania and Haute Matsiatra in northeast, Ihorombe and Anosy in east and Androy in southeast. The capital is Toliara and the population was estimated to be 1,018,500 in 2004...
in the south of Madagascar and studied at the Lycée de génie civil d'Ampefoloha à Antananarivo. In the late 1970s, he moved to undertake further studies in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. After working on various civil engineering projects, in 1985, he became the director of Zanatany, then from 1989 until 2003 he held various prominent civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
posts.
Under President Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana is a Malagasy politician who was the President of Madagascar from 2002 to 2009. A member of the Merina ethnic group, Ravalomanana served as Mayor of Antananarivo before becoming President in 2002...
, Lahiniriko was appointed as the Minister of Public Works in Prime Minister Jacques Sylla
Jacques Sylla
Jacques Hugues Sylla was a Malagasy politician. He was the Prime Minister of Madagascar under President Marc Ravalomanana from February 2002 until January 2007. He subsequently served as the President of the National Assembly of Madagascar from 2007 until 2009.Sylla was born on the island of...
's first government, named on March 1, 2002, remaining in that position until January 2003. He was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2002 parliamentary election
Malagasy parliamentary election, 2002
Parliamentary elections were held in Madagascar on 15 December 2002. They were won by the Tiako I Madagasikara party of President Marc Ravalomanana, which took 103 of the 160 seats. Voter turnout was 67.86% of the 5,844,564 registered voters.-Results:...
from the Betioky Sud district in Toliara Province
Toliara Province
Toliara is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 161,405 km². It had a population of 2,229,550 . Its capital was Toliara...
under the banner of the Tiako I Madagasikara
Tiako I Madagasikara
Tiako I Madagasikara is a political party in Madagascar founded by a group of individuals on July 3, 2002 to support President Marc Ravalomanana. It is now the largest party in the National Assembly of Madagascar with 106 of 127 seats, after the parliamentary election held on September 23, 2007....
(TIM) party, receiving 56% of the vote in his district. On January 21, 2003, he was elected as President of the National Assembly, receiving 113 out of 146 votes.
In April 2006, Lahiniriko visited Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and while there commented positively on Iran's nuclear programme
Nuclear program of Iran
The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program. The support, encouragement and participation of the United States and Western European governments in Iran's nuclear program continued until the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
. At home, his comments led to accusations of treason from members of parliament; Lahiniriko said the comments had only represented his personal views and were not intended as a statement of official policy. On May 8, the National Assembly voted Lahiniriko out of his position as its President, with 119 out of 160 legislators in favor of his removal. He was also expelled from TIM a week before he was voted out of his position. Two days after being removed from office, he announced that he would run for President in the December 2006 presidential election. According to official results, he placed second, with 11.65% of the vote, behind Ravalomanana, who received a majority in the first round. Lahiniriko received his strongest support in his home province of Toliara, where he won 45.95% of the vote, ten points more than Ravalomanana.
Lahiniriko's campaign director called the results false and said that Ravalomanana had only won about 49%. Lahiniriko claimed that there were problems with the electoral list and said that he did not accept the official results. He and third place candidate Roland Ratsiraka
Roland Ratsiraka
Iarovana Roland Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician.Born in Antananarivo, Roland is the nephew of former President Didier Ratsiraka. He studied both in Madagascar and in France, before founding several companies....
said that they were challenging the results in court and that they wanted the election to be held over again.
Lahiniriko opposed the constitutional changes proposed in the 2007 constitutional referendum
Malagasy constitutional referendum, 2007
A constitutional referendum was held in Madagascar on 4 April 2007. The proposed changes, which voters were asked to approve or reject as a whole, included:*expansion of presidential powers in cases of emergency...
and participated in a national committee that campaigned for a "no" vote as a coordinator of action.
Lahiniriko launched a new party, the Socialist and Democratic Party for the Unity of Madagascar (PSDUM), in early February 2007, with himself as its President. He stood for re-election to his National Assembly seat from Betioky Sud district as a PSDUM candidate in the September 2007 parliamentary election
Malagasy parliamentary election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Madagascar on 23 September 2007, with the vote to be repeated in two constituencies on 14 November 2007. 637 candidates contested the election, in which the 127 seats in the National Assembly were at stake....
; running against him was the TIM candidate, André Avison Tsitohery, who was elected as Lahiniriko's substitute in the 2002 election. Tsitohery defeated Lahiniriko by a large margin according to provisional results, winning 52.06% of the vote against Lahiniriko's 22.39%, a difference of 11,600 votes; however, Lahiniriko's supporters disputed this, claiming he was actually ahead of Tsitohery by 2,873 votes.
Ravalomanana was forced to resign amidst a political crisis in March 2009, and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina
Andry Rajoelina
Andry Nirina Rajoelina , born May 30 1974, is the former mayor of Antananarivo who became transitional head of state of Madagascar on March 21, 2009 after the 2009 Malagasy political crisis....
took power. Rajoelina set up the High Authority of the Transition (HAT) as the ruling body, and Lahiniriko was appointed as one of the HAT's 44 members on March 31, 2009.
Lahiniriko is a member of the Lutheran Church of Madagascar.