Politics
Parliament's Extraordinary Session Planned for September
The adoption of the public information access law has not been a priority for the "fanavaozana" regime so far. Parliament is expected to reconvene in the coming weeks for an extraordinary session, tentatively scheduled for September, according to reliable sources. This meeting is particularly anticipated, as several major reform bills remain pending from previous sessions. Chief among these are the public information access bill and amendments to the media communication law. The first concerns bill no. 017/2025 on public information access. Submitted to the National Assembly on May 28, this text was intended to strengthen administrative transparency by enshrining citizens' right to access information held by public institutions. However, unexpectedly, deputies postponed its examination without public explanation during the last ordinary session in May. Since then, the text has remained stalled at Tsimbazaza, with no debate initiated. This delay raises questions. While authorities repeatedly declare their commitment to more open governance and institutional reform, one of the most emblematic texts of this ambition remains at a standstill. The silence of the Ministry of Communication and Culture, which has not responded to the parliamentary postponement, contrasts with regularly stated commitments to transparency. For several observers, this reluctance among deputies could reflect the executive's lack of eagerness to see a law requiring greater openness in public affairs management take effect. The other anticipated reform concerns amendments to the media communication law. Contrary to expectations, the project was never placed on the agenda of recent parliamentary sessions. Yet the preparatory work on this text appeared largely complete. For several months, regional consultations brought together journalists, media professionals, and communication actors to review legislation that had drawn considerable criticism upon adoption. Following these consultations, a committee of specialists drafted a new version of the text, presented as more consensual and better suited to sector realities. According to sources close to the matter, this version has already been transmitted to the Ministry of Communication and Culture. However, the government never initiated the legislative process allowing its submission to Parliament before the previous sessions closed. These two projects should thus constitute major issues for the next extraordinary session, if it is indeed convened in September. Their examination is now seen as a credibility test for the authorities, as the legislative record remains marked by postponement of reforms presented as essential.
Source: Midi Madagasikara