Not in conformity with the Constitution. That is the verdict of the Constitutional Court of Madagascar (HCC) on the constitutionality review of the law on the policy of using the Malagasy language and language rights in Madagascar, adopted by the National Assembly on July 1st. In its decision published yesterday, the Ambohidahy institution acknowledges that the aforementioned law aims to promote the Malagasy language, "pillar of Malagasy originality." The promotion of Malagasy language use in administration and official communications is also among its objectives, as is enabling all Malagasy people to be informed of realities concerning them and to understand various job opportunities. However, the HCC bases its decision invalidating this law on the final line of Article 4 of the Constitution, which states that "the official languages are Malagasy and French." According to the Court, this provision makes no differentiation between Malagasy and French and allows free choice between the two languages for education and official practices in Madagascar. By citing what is provided in Article 6 and the paragraphs of Article 13 of the law on Malagasy language policy, the Ambohidahy Court thus considers "that these articles impose an obligation to use the Malagasy language in education, training and in relations between citizens as well as state communications. That such an obligation is in manifest contradiction with the free choice established by Article 4 of the Constitution." The HCC also singles out Article 28 of the law on Malagasy language policy. As noted by the Ambohidahy institution, this provision "imposes the application of administrative or disciplinary sanctions provided by various authority structures in case of non-compliance with any one of its articles." Thus, for the Court, it "violates the free choice established by Article 4 of the Constitution mentioned above; that said article is thus in contradiction with the fundamental law."