Government and power in Madagascar
Who leads Madagascar, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Unitary semi-presidential republic (under a military-led transition since October 2025).
Who leads Madagascar?
- Head of state: Colonel Michaël Randrianirina (Président de la Refondation de la République de Madagascar)
- Head of government: Mamitiana Rajaonarison (Premier Ministre et Chef du Gouvernement de la Refondation de la République de Madagascar)
- Foreign minister: Alice N’Diaye (Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Refondation de la République de Madagascar)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Madagascar score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 45.8 out of 100 in 2025, 123rd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 41.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 47.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Madagascar score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 56.4 out of 100 in 2025, 142nd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 56.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 56.4.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Madagascar score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 34.5 out of 100 in 2025, 163rd highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 36.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 32.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Madagascar score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 41.2 out of 100 in 2025, 155th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 42.9). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 40.5.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Madagascar score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 43.1 out of 100 in 2025, 147th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 44.6). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 45.7.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Madagascar score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 27.1 out of 100 in 2025, 157th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 32.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 32.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Madagascar's parliament?
Women held 14.1% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 149th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Madagascar's ministers are women?
Women held 33.3% of ministerial posts in 2025, 45th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the government of Madagascar spend?
Central government spending (expense) was 11.0% of GDP in 2023.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much tax does the government of Madagascar collect?
Central government tax revenue was 10.9% of GDP in 2024, 78th highest of 92.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does Madagascar spend on the military?
Military spending was 0.6% of GDP in 2025, 130th highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of Madagascar?
Armed forces personnel numbered 22,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are Madagascar's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 57.5 out of 100 in 2024, 145th highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in Madagascar?
73.8% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2021).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Madagascar use the internet?
18.7% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Madagascar
Government
- Office of the Prime MinisterGovernment announcements, Council of Ministers communiqués and policy news.
Parliament
- National AssemblySession news, laws adopted and lists of deputies of the National Assembly.
Courts
- High Constitutional CourtDecisions and opinions on constitutionality and election disputes.
Public audit
- Court of AccountsAudit reports on public accounts and reports on the execution of the state budget.
Laws and the official gazette
- National Centre for Legal Information (CNLEGIS)Searchable texts of laws, ordinances, decrees, orders and the constitution.
Government below the national level
- Provinces (6): Not operational
- Regions (23, 2021 count): Governors appointed by the Council of Ministers pending regional elections that have never been held
- Districts: District head (chef de district) appointed by the state
- Communes (1,695: 76 urban, the rest rural): Mayor and communal council elected directly
- Fokontany (19,830): Chef fokontany appointed by the administration, often after local consultation
How local power works in Madagascar
Places in Madagascar
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Central government spending (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 808094019f50…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Tax revenue (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08c94b750f31…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.