Jacques Sylla
Encyclopedia
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 Sainte-Marie
, Analanjirofo
, off the east coast of Madagascar. He is the son of Albert Sylla
, who served as Foreign Minister under Madagascar's first president, Philibert Tsiranana
, until being killed in a plane crash in July 1967. He served as Foreign Minister himself from 1993 to 1996, under President Albert Zafy
. He was an opponent of President Didier Ratsiraka
and was one of the lawyers advising Marc Ravalomanana when he was elected Mayor of Antananarivo
in 1999. Sylla was also a founder of the Toamasina
section of the National Committee for the Observation of Elections.
Sylla backed Ravalomanana in the crisis that followed the December 2001 presidential election
and argued Ravalomanana's case before the High Constitutional Court. On February 26, 2002, in the midst of the crisis, Ravalomanana named Sylla as Prime Minister, a few days after Ravalomanana declared himself president. After Ravalomanana was sworn in for a second time in early May, Sylla was reappointed as Prime Minister on May 9.
Later in 2002, Sylla became the Secretary General of the ruling Tiako I Madagasikara
(TIM) party; this marked the first time that he had ever been a member of a political party.
Sylla resigned as Prime Minister on 19 January 2007, at the end of Ravalomanana's first term; his resignation was accepted by Ravalomanana, who appointed Charles Rabemananjara
as Prime Minister on 20 January.
In the September 2007 parliamentary election
, Sylla stood as a TIM candidate in the Sainte-Marie constituency, winning with 51.04% of the vote according to provisional results. When the new session of the National Assembly began, Sylla was elected as President of the National Assembly on October 23, 2007; he was the only candidate and received 123 votes from the 124 deputies present, with one blank vote.
As President of the National Assembly, Sylla was an ex officio member of the national political bureau of TIM and therefore remained on the political bureau at TIM's May 2008 congress.
Sylla was a Catholic, a Côtier, and had dual Malagasy and French nationality.
on February 24, 2009. Subsequently, at an opposition rally on March 14, 2009, Sylla announced that he was joining the opposition and said that Ravalomanana should resign; according to Sylla, that was the only solution and "as President of the National Assembly, I have to recognise reality."
Rajoelina appointed Sylla as President of the Transitional Congress on 8 September 2009; he also appointed a new government on the same date. He ostensibly did so in the spirit of the Maputo agreement between Malagasy political leaders, which called for the creation of a national unity government, but the opposition denounced Rajoelina's appointments, and Sylla was considered to have completely broken with Ravalomanana.
Sylla died on 26 December 2009 after a long illness.
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 was the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Madagascar
This page contains a list of the Prime Ministers of Madagascar.-Prime Ministers of Madagascar :-Affiliations:*PSD - Social Democratic Party of Madagascar and the Comoros...
of Madagascar 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...
from February 2002 until January 2007. He subsequently served as the 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 2007 until 2009.
Sylla was born on the island of Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie
Île Sainte-Marie, known as Nosy Boraha , is an island off the east coast of Madagascar. The main town is Ambodifotatra. The city covers an area of 222 km2, and had a population estimated at 16,325 in 2001.- City :...
, Analanjirofo
Analanjirofo
Analanjirofo is a region in northeastern Madagascar. Until 2009 it belonged to Toamasina Province. It borders Sava Region in north, Sofia in west, Alaotra-Mangoro in southwest and Atsinanana in south.Analanjirofo is divided into six districts:...
, off the east coast of Madagascar. He is the son of Albert Sylla
Albert Sylla
Albert Sylla was a Malagasy doctor and politician.-Biography:Sylla was born to an unknown French father and a Creole mother, Louisa Sylla on 18 February 1909 in Tuléar. There are rumours that Sylla was of Senegalese ancestry, but these rumours are limited to the internet and the Malagasy diaspora...
, who served as Foreign Minister under Madagascar's first president, Philibert Tsiranana
Philibert Tsiranana
Philibert Tsiranana was a Malagasy politician and leader, who served as the first President of Madagascar from 1959 to 1972....
, until being killed in a plane crash in July 1967. He served as Foreign Minister himself from 1993 to 1996, under President Albert Zafy
Albert Zafy
Albert Zafy is a Malagasy politician. He was the President of Madagascar from 27 March 1993 to 5 September 1996.-Early life and career:...
. He was an opponent of President Didier Ratsiraka
Didier Ratsiraka
Vice Admiral Didier Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician who was President of Madagascar from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2002.-Second Republic:...
and was one of the lawyers advising Marc Ravalomanana when he was elected Mayor of Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
in 1999. Sylla was also a founder of the Toamasina
Toamasina
Toamasina , meaning "like salt" or "salty", unofficially and in French also Tamatave, is a city on the east coast of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean. The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated northeast of its capital and biggest city Antananarivo, near the centre of the eastern coast...
section of the National Committee for the Observation of Elections.
Sylla backed Ravalomanana in the crisis that followed the December 2001 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 2001
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 16 December 2001. Initial results suggested a second round was necessary, with neither of the main candidates, incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana. However, Ravalomanana rejected the results and declared himself President in...
and argued Ravalomanana's case before the High Constitutional Court. On February 26, 2002, in the midst of the crisis, Ravalomanana named Sylla as Prime Minister, a few days after Ravalomanana declared himself president. After Ravalomanana was sworn in for a second time in early May, Sylla was reappointed as Prime Minister on May 9.
Later in 2002, Sylla became the Secretary General of the ruling 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; this marked the first time that he had ever been a member of a political party.
Sylla resigned as Prime Minister on 19 January 2007, at the end of Ravalomanana's first term; his resignation was accepted by Ravalomanana, who appointed Charles Rabemananjara
Charles Rabemananjara
Charles Rabemananjara is a former Prime Minister of Madagascar. He took office on 20 January 2007 at the beginning of the second term of President Marc Ravalomanana...
as Prime Minister on 20 January.
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....
, Sylla stood as a TIM candidate in the Sainte-Marie constituency, winning with 51.04% of the vote according to provisional results. When the new session of the National Assembly began, Sylla was elected as President of the National Assembly on October 23, 2007; he was the only candidate and received 123 votes from the 124 deputies present, with one blank vote.
As President of the National Assembly, Sylla was an ex officio member of the national political bureau of TIM and therefore remained on the political bureau at TIM's May 2008 congress.
Sylla was a Catholic, a Côtier, and had dual Malagasy and French nationality.
Role in 2009 political crisis
During the 2009 Malagasy political crisis, Sylla participated in negotiations between President Ravalomanana and opposition leader Andry RajoelinaAndry 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....
on February 24, 2009. Subsequently, at an opposition rally on March 14, 2009, Sylla announced that he was joining the opposition and said that Ravalomanana should resign; according to Sylla, that was the only solution and "as President of the National Assembly, I have to recognise reality."
Rajoelina appointed Sylla as President of the Transitional Congress on 8 September 2009; he also appointed a new government on the same date. He ostensibly did so in the spirit of the Maputo agreement between Malagasy political leaders, which called for the creation of a national unity government, but the opposition denounced Rajoelina's appointments, and Sylla was considered to have completely broken with Ravalomanana.
Sylla died on 26 December 2009 after a long illness.