23 Facts About Albert Zafy

Albert Zafy was a Malagasy politician and educator who served as the fourth president of Madagascar from 1993 to 1996.

In 1992, Zafy stood as a presidential candidate against President Didier Ratsiraka.

Albert Zafy was impeached in 1996 and then defeated by Ratsiraka in the 1996 presidential election.

Albert Zafy was born in Ambilobe, Diana Region on 1 May 1927.

Albert Zafy studied at the University of Montpellier in France.

At a national conference of the opposition in 1990, Albert Zafy was elected as President of the Committee of Active Forces, a cooperation group of several opposition parties, including Albert Zafy's UNDD.

Albert Zafy was detained for a week in late July 1991 and was met with a crowd of about 100,000 supporters upon his release.

In June 1993, Albert Zafy's supporters won a majority in parliamentary elections.

Ravony resigned in October 1995, and Albert Zafy appointed Emmanuel Rakotovahiny, who was the head of the UNDD and had been Minister of State for Rural Development and Land Reform, in his place.

Albert Zafy received some support in the second round from those who, despite their criticisms of Albert Zafy, felt he was preferable to Ratsiraka, such as Interim President Norbert Ratsirahonana, who had unsuccessfully stood as a candidate in the first round.

Albert Zafy later alleged that the High Constitutional Court had switched the numbers for himself and Ratsiraka and said that he had not spoken of that at the time for the sake of peace.

Albert Zafy led an attempt to impeach Ratsiraka in early 1998, accusing him of various charges, including perjury and nepotism; he accused Ratsiraka of violating the constitution in his moves toward decentralization and the strengthening of the presidency at the expense of the National Assembly's power.

Albert Zafy subsequently won a seat in the May 1998 parliamentary election, becoming the oldest deputy in the National Assembly.

Albert Zafy unsuccessfully sought the secession of Antsiranana Province from Madagascar at around the same time.

On 31 August 2001, Albert Zafy announced that he would again run in the December 2001 presidential election.

Albert Zafy became the leader of the National Reconciliation Committee, which was founded in June 2002 to promote national reconciliation among the leading participants in the political crisis that followed the 2001 election.

Albert Zafy strongly criticized Ravalomanana and called for a new constitution.

On 8 December 2006, Albert Zafy's property was raided by police as part of the government's investigation regarding General Fidy, who allegedly attempted a coup in November, and presidential candidate Pety Rakotoniaina, both of whom the police sought to locate and arrest.

Albert Zafy travelled to Paris in June 2007, where he met with Ratsiraka and members of his former government who were in exile.

On 4 August 2009, as part of negotiations for a solution to the political crisis, Albert Zafy met with Rajoelina, Ravalomanana, and Ratsiraka, along with former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, who acted as mediator at the four-day-long mediation crisis talks held in Maputo.

Albert Zafy denounced Rajoelina, saying that Rajoelina had "reneged on his signature" and that the opposition could "no longer trust him to run the country".

Albert Zafy called on the army to refrain from involvement in the political situation.

Albert Zafy died of a stroke on 13 October 2017 at a hospital in Saint-Pierre in the French overseas department of Reunion at the age of 90.