Céline Marthe Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician, political figure, and widow of former

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Didier Ratsiraka. Ratsiraka is the longest tenured

First Lady of Madagascar First Lady of Madagascar ( French: ''Première Dame du Madagascar'') is the title attributed to the wife of the president of Madagascar. The country's current first lady is Voahangy Rajaonarimampianina, wife of President Hery Rajaonarimampianina ...

in the country's history, having held the position from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 until 2002. She was an influential figure within the ruling Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar (AREMA) from the 1970s to the 1990s, especially within the party's left-wing.

Biography

Ratsiraka was born Céline Velonjara. She was the daughter of Pascal Velonjara, a parliamentarian during the French colonial period and founder of the

Parti des déshérités de Madagascar The Parti des déshérités de Madagascar (PADESM, "Party of the Disinherited of Madagascar") was a political party active in Madagascar from June 1946 into the First Republic (1960–1972). It was formed in reaction to the establishment and rapid ...

( PADESM). In 1964, she married Didier Ratsiraka, a young naval officer, at a Catholic ceremony presided over by Father Armand Gaëtan Razafindratandra. The couple had four children: three daughters - Olga, Sophie, Annick - and one son, Xavier. Didier Ratsiraka took power in 1975 as President of the Supreme Revolutionary Council. During the rule of her husband from 1975 until 1993, Céline Ratsiraka became an influential figure in Malagasy politics and the regime's AREMA party as

first lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...

and wife of the president. Céline Ratsiraka and her sister, Hortense Raveloson Mahasampo, lead the left-wing of the AREMA party, which acted as a counterbalance to figures within the party's right flank, such as

Pascal Rakotomavo Pascal Joseph Rakotomavo (1 April 1934Biographical page at Antananarivo Provinc ...

and Rakotovao Razakaboana. Ratsiraka and her sister also organized and led the party's women's wing, known as AREMA Women. Additionally, Céline Ratsiraka also headed AREMA's cooperative movement, including an investment bureau called the PROCOOP. Didier and Céline Ratsiraka went into exile in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

in July 2002, ending a seven month political crisis following the disputed 2001 presidential election between Ratsiraka and the eventual winner, Marc Ravalomanana. In April 2013, the Ratsirakas returned to Madagascar after living in exile in France for eleven years so her husband could contest the 2013 presidential election. Ratsiraka was removed from the race by the electoral court in August 2013 for missing the six-month residency deadline. On 22 March 2021, both Céline Ratsiraka and her husband were admitted to Soavinandriana Military Hospital (CENHOSOA) in

Antananarivo Antananarivo ( French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "An ...

, for treatment of a "small flu", according to their relatives. Didier Ratsiraka died at the hospital from

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...

several days later on 28 March 2021, at the age of 84.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ratsiraka, Celine Date of birth unknown Year of birth unknown First Ladies of Madagascar Malagasy women in politics Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar politicians Malagasy exiles