Pascal Rakotomavo

Born in Antananarivo, Rakotomavo was Minister of Economy and Finance from 1982 to 1989,^[5] and Special Adviser to President Didier Ratsiraka from 1989 to 1993.^[1] His appointment as Prime Minister in February 1997, following Ratsiraka's return to the presidency, was considered surprising.^[3] Rakotomavo served as Governor of Antananarivo Province from June 2001 to 2002. He was also Ratsiraka's campaign director in the December 2001 presidential election,^[6][7] but in the political crisis that followed between Ratsiraka and opposition candidate Marc Ravalomanana, as governor he adopted what has been described as a neutral position.^[8] On 28 February 2002, Ratsiraka appointed General Léon-Claude Raveloarison as military governor of Antananarivo Province under martial law. Rakotomavo was the only one of the six provincial governors to not sign a declaration that Toamasina, Ratsiraka's stronghold during the 2002 political crisis, was the nation's provisional capital.^[9] After Ravalomanana prevailed in the dispute, Rakotomavo, unlike the governors of the other provinces, was not prosecuted.^[10]