Executive dominance and weak institutions hinder Madagascar’s republic

What the study found: The article finds that Madagascar's political crisis is linked to a lack of political virtue, meaning self-denial in public life, and to institutional dysfunction. It reports a systematic dominance of the executive branch, a submissive judiciary, and a partisan legislature.
Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that justice and virtue are inseparable for the sustainability of the Republic. The study suggests that restoring trust and rebuilding the Malagasy social contract require ethical governance and territorial restructuring.
What the researchers tested: The study used a doctrinal and documentary analysis of constitutional texts and institutional reports. It examined how the Constitution's separation of powers relates to the operation of political institutions in Madagascar.
What worked and what didn't: The analysis indicates that the separation of powers has not prevented executive dominance. It also suggests that weak judicial independence and partisan legislative behavior have contributed to popular distrust and vigilantism.
What to keep in mind: The abstract does not describe empirical data collection beyond documentary and doctrinal analysis. It also does not provide details on sample size, specific documents reviewed, or how the proposed reforms would be implemented.

Key points

• Madagascar's political crisis is described as a crisis of confidence after sixty years of independence.
• The article reports executive dominance, a submissive judiciary, and a partisan legislature.
• The authors link political virtue to self-denial and say it is indispensable for restoring institutional trust.
• Popular distrust is presented as contributing to vigilantism.
• The authors propose party reform, decentralization with a local parliament, and civic education.