Andry RAJOELINA, President of Madagascar

On 17 March 2009, democratically elected President Marc Ravalomanana resigned and handed the reins of the government over to the military. The military in turn conferred the presidency on opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, who will head the High Transition Authority.

Andry Nirina Rajoelina (born 1975) is a Malagasy politician and former professional DJ. He was the Mayor of the city of Antananarivo from December 2007 to February 2009 and is the main opposition leader in Madagascar.

He is nicknamed "TGV", after the high-speed TGV rail service in France, because of his rapid-fire personality.

The initials are also the acronym for the movement he leads - Tanora malaGasy Vonona (Young Malagasies Determined).

And he rattled on to Madagascar's political scene like a speeding train to stand for mayor in the capital, Antananarivo, in December 2007.
He had, it seemed, come from nowhere. But for many this was part of his appeal. His message was upbeat and youthful - a call for young Malagasy to seize the day.His campaign was slick and brash, featuring pumping music and trendy T-shirts emblazoned with his face. He is nicknamed "TGV", after the high-speed TGV rail service in France, because of his rapid-fire personality.

The initials are also the acronym for the movement he leads - Tanora malaGasy Vonona (Young Malagasies Determined).

And he rattled on to Madagascar's political scene like a speeding train to stand for mayor in the capital, Antananarivo, in December 2007.
He had, it seemed, come from nowhere. But for many this was part of his appeal.

His message was upbeat and youthful - a call for young Malagasy to seize the day.

His campaign was slick and brash, featuring pumping music and trendy T-shirts emblazoned with his face.

Marc Ravalomanana, Former President of Madagascar

Marc Ravalomanana officially took office as the President of the Malagasy Republic on May 6th, 2002.

Marc Ravalomanana was born on December 12th, 1949 in a family of eight children. He is from Imerikasinina, a village to the east of Antananarivo, where he grew and did his first studies. He is married to Lalao Rakotonirainy and has one daughter and three sons.

Marc Ravalomanana is an inspiring example of a self-made man. Starting with a small yogurt processing unit run by his family, and with continual investments, he succeeded in setting up first the TIKO Company, then the TIKO Group, which he chaired until recently. The TIKO Group has become the most successful agro-business in the country and has made Marc Ravalomanana one of the richest men in Madagascar.

Marc Ravalomanana went into politics in 1999 as a candidate for Mayor of Antananarivo, the capital city. He won by a large margin and proceeded to make many positive changes. In particular, his improvements in hygiene and sanitation made him immensely popular with the city's residents.

Marc Ravalomanana has a pragmatic and rigorous spirit. A man of action with practical experience, he sometimes surprises people around him by his willingness to quickly move forward, sometimes going against the traditional "mora mora" (slowly, slowly) Malagasy way, and by his straightforward language.

On the other hand, he is a man with a deep spiritual life and is known to be a fervent Protestant.

Marc Ravalomanana remains strongly attached to the land, the rural world and the environment. He is a promoter of the "made in Madagascar" label and advocates Malagasy culture and language at every opportunity. This accounts for his use of the Malagasy language in many of his speeches, even though he speaks French and English as well.

Marc Ravalomanana has a passion for airplanes, and he likes to be in touch with the population.

His challenge for Madagascar is to build new infrastructures, especially roads.

His priorities in governance are to: