Madagascar (Q2 2026): Decisive Legislative Elections, an Agricultural Transition, and Connectivity Investment

Politics, Elections, and Governance

The quarter’s central political event took place on May 29 with national legislative elections held to renew all 163 seats of the National Assembly. Following the release of provisional results by the National Independent Electoral Commission in June, President Andry Rajoelina’s IRMAR presidential platform retained a relative majority, one it needs to push through its future development reforms.

The political landscape remained polarized nonetheless. The opposition, grouped around the Firaisankina coalition, filed numerous appeals with the High Constitutional Court alleging organizational irregularities in certain constituencies, keeping institutional debate lively throughout June.

Economy, Mining, and Connectivity

Economically, the government accelerated implementation of decrees tied to the new Mining Code this quarter, aiming to renegotiate royalty rates and restart the issuance of operating permits, frozen for several years, a strategic lever for attracting fresh foreign direct investment in the nickel, cobalt, and rare earth sectors.

The telecommunications sector reached an important milestone in May with the launch of satellite connectivity projects and the expansion of fiber optic networks into remote regions, aimed at narrowing the digital divide and supporting youth entrepreneurship in urban centers such as Antananarivo and Toamasina.

Climate, Agriculture, and Food Sovereignty

The Ministry of Agriculture used the quarter to take stock of the major harvest season. By June, programs distributing high-yield rice seed and rehabilitating irrigation canals in the Alaotra basin showed encouraging signs of stabilizing national production.

Despite this progress in the north and center, the country’s southern regions, the Grand Sud, remained under close watch due to a persistent rainfall deficit. Humanitarian agencies and the state kept contingency plans in place to provide nutritional supplements and secure water access for vulnerable rural communities.

Environment, Conservation, and Biodiversity

The second quarter brought tighter maritime and customs controls. In June, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development announced the seizure of several illegal shipments of rosewood and endemic tortoises, reaffirming the island’s commitment to protecting its uniquely rich biodiversity and strengthening criminal penalties against poaching networks targeting protected species.

In short: Madagascar closed out the second quarter of 2026 on a path of political consolidation for the executive in the wake of legislative elections. While the country is opening up promising economic prospects through digital modernization and a mining sector revival, the government urgently needs to address post-election political reconciliation and durably secure food sovereignty for southern populations facing chronic climate disruption.