Madagascan Golf Federation vice president Sylvain Rabetsaroana is just a short fairway drive away from a seat in the Senate. Number two on the list of the president's IRD party in the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo, just behind businessman and education ministry secretary general Herimanana Razafimahefa, he has every chance of obtaining one of the two seats on offer in the province of Antananarivo. Only one other credible list stands in the way of Rabetsaroana, a former member of the High Transitional
In Focus | Madagascar
Madagascar's luxury golf courses offer a fairway to power
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Unlike in the rest of Africa, where golf is often seen as a leftover from the colonial period, Madagascar's political and business elites like to meet up over a round of golf. Andry Rajoelina's government has taken advantage of this parallel power structure to build up a solid support network.
