skip to main content

The Controversies over State Secularism in the Constitution of the 4th Republic of Madagascar

*Rota Ranavalonatina Ramahefarivo  -  Faculty of Law, University FJKM of Ravelojaona, Madagascar
Open Access Copyright 2022 LAW REFORM under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.

Citation Format:
Abstract

The first article of the 4th Republic of Madagascar states that Madagascar is a secular State. However, there are many controversies related to this secularism. Those controversies are both textual and empirical. In reality Madagascar is not a pure secular State. This article consist of explaining the cause of the contradiction of secularism found in the content of the Constitution and the reality. The objective of this study is to describe the controversies about the application of the secularism principle during the 4th Republic and especially under the regime of the President Andry Rajoelina. If the Constituent think the concept of secularism as western countries think, especially France, Madagascar has its own way of application, because of the influence of traditional belief and Christianism. Then, the existence of a contextual secularism will be the solution for the controversies.

Fulltext View|Download
Keywords: Constitution; Madagascar 4th Republic; Religion; Secularism; State.

Article Metrics:

  1. Abdelgadir, Aala., & Fouka, Vasiliki. (2020). Political Secularism and Muslim Integration in the West: Assessing the Effects of the French Headscarf Ban. American Political ScienceReview, Vol.114, Issue 3, pp.707-723. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055420000106
  2. Anand, Kusha., & Lall, Marie. (2022). The debate between secularism and Hindu nationalism – how India’s textbooks have become the government’s medium for political communication. India Review, Vol.21, Issue 1, pp.77-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 14736489.2021.2018203
  3. Maupeu, Herve., Gez, Yonathan Y., & Droz, Yvan. (2022). Athéisme et sécularisme au Kenya : les tribulations des Atheists In Kenya (AIK). Social Compass, July 2, 2022 (Article in Press). https://doi.org/10.1177/ 00377686221105780
  4. Ekpo, Charles E., & Offiong, Ekwutosi E. (2020). Nigeria:The Paradox Of A Secular State. Politics And Religion Journal,Vol.14,(No.1), pp.149 172. https://doi.org/10.54561/prj1401149e
  5. Gingembre, M. (2011). Match religieux en terrain politique. Compétition entre Églises chrétiennes et chute du régime Ravalomanana à Madagascar. Politique africaine,Vol.123,pp.51-72. https://doi. org/10.3917/polaf.123.0051
  6. Lampron, Louis - P. (2021). La Loi sur la laïcité de l’État et les conditions de la fondation juridique d’un modèle interculturel au Québec. Canadian Journal of Law and Society / Revue Canadienne Droit et Société,Vol.36, pp.323 337. https://doi.org/10.1017/cls.2021.19
  7. Larsson, E. (2022). Covenantal Pluralism in “Homogenous” Japan: Finding a Space for Religious Pluralism. Review of Faith & International Affairs, Vol.20, Issue 1, pp.43-55. DOI: 10.1080/15570274.2022.2031056
  8. Lavie, L. (2021). The Constitutionalization of the Civil State: The Self-Definition of Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen Following the Arab Uprisings.Religions,Vol.12, Issue 4, pp.1-18. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12040269
  9. Mazel, F. (2017). L’Église, la cité et la modernité. Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales, Vol.72,pp.109-120. https://doi. org/10.1017/s0395264917000063
  10. Rasamoelina, H. (2017). Ny finoana sy ny famolapolahana azy eto Madagasikara. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,pp.1-19. http://storage.canalblog.com/25/56/448497/76452158.pdf
  11. Roubaud, F. (1999). Religion, identité sociale et transition démocratique à Tananarive : de fidèles en citoyens. Autrepart, Vol. 01, pp.135-149. http://horizon.documentation. ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_7/ autrepart/010019330.pdf
  12. Tsiarify, Lalao Soa A. (2013). L’imbrication du politique et du spirituel à Madagascar : un défi pour la laïcité. Chrétiens Et Sociétés, Vol.20,pp.173-190. https://doi.org/10.4000/ chretienssocietes.3539
  13. Wohab, A. (2021) “Secularism” or “no-secularism”? A complex case of Bangladesh. Cogent Social Sciences, Vol.7, Issue 1, pp.1-21.DOI: 10.1080/23311886.2021.1928979
  14. Yavuz, M. Hakan. (2019). Understanding Turkish secularism in the 21th century : a contextual roadmap. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, Vol.19, Issue 1, pp.55 78. https://doi.org/10.1080/146838 57.2019.1576367
  15. Djistera, A. (2016). Le culte des ancêtres dans la société malgache. University of Toamasina (Madagascar)
  16. Oliphant, E. (2012). Signs of an unmarked faith: visions of secularism, Catholicism, and Islam in Paris. University of Chicago
  17. Champion, B. (2017). Regards croisés sur le patrimoine Malgache, Transmission et régénération d’un héritage vivant : Razanisme et Christianism. In proceedings of the journée de recherche (pp. 1-4). Saint-Denis: University of La Réunion
  18. Irako, A. (2018). Aza menatra manao politika, Antananarivo, In Proceedings of the conference on election by believers (p.1-35). Ampandrana: University Ravelojaona
  19. The Constitution of the 4th Republic of Madagascar, 2010
  20. The Constitution of the 3rd Republic of Madagascar amended in 2007
  21. The Constitution of the 3rd Republic of Madagascar 1992
  22. Law of secularism in France 1905
  23. La Croix Africa. (2020). Données géographiques et identité religieuse au Madagascar. Retrieved from https://africa.la-croix.com/statistiques/madagascar/
  24. Bezain, L. (2021). Madagascar : les chrétiens ont pu célébrer Pâques malgré la deuxième vague de Covid-19. Retrieved from https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20210404-madagascar-les-chr%C3%A9tiens-ont-pu-c%C3%A9l%C3%A9brer-p%C3%A2ques-malgr%C3%A9-la-deuxi%C3%A8me-vague-de-covid-19
  25. Saina, K. (2022). « Il n’y aura ni messe, ni usage de la Bible » lors de l’investiture d’Andry Rajoelina. Retrieved from https://www. koolsaina.com/messe-bible-religion-vavaka-investiture-andry-rajoelina-madagascar/
  26. Rakotomalala, E. (2022). Réjouissances, foi et paix. Retrieved from https://midi-madagasikara.mg/2022/06/10/rejouissances-foi-et-paix/

Last update:

  1. The Educational Role of The Constitutional Court in Compliance of Indonesian Citizens

    Siti Marwiyah, M Syahrul Borman, Ruba'ie Ruba'ie, M Chotib Ramadhani, Retno Saraswati, Non Naprathansuk. LAW REFORM, 19 (1), 2023. doi: 10.14710/lr.v19i1.53971

Last update: 2024-11-14 05:36:49

No citation recorded.