First Lady of Madagascar (French: Première Dame du Madagascar) is the title attributed to the wife of the president of Madagascar.[1][2] The country's current first lady is Voahangy Rajaonarimampianina, wife of President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who had held the position since January 25, 2014. There has been no first gentlemen of Madagascar to date.
Born Justine Kalitody, Tsiranana was the inaugural First Lady of Madagascar. She married Philibert Tsiranana on January 29, 1933, at a ceremony in the village of Antsirabe, Mandritsara District.[1]
Born Thérèse Razafindramoizina, she married Colonel Richard Ratsimandrava on September 22, 1956. The couple had five children.[1] Her husband became head of the military government on February 5, 1975. Ratsimandrava was first lady just six days before Colonel Ratsimandrava's assassination on February 11, 1975.[1] Thérèse Ratsimandrava died in August 2001.[1]
General Gilles Andriamahazo was the transitional president of the military government following Ratsimandrava's assassination. He never appeared with his wife in public during his short tenure.[1]
The country's longest tenured first lady, Ratsiraka was born Céline Velonjara.[1] In 1964, she married a young naval officer, Didier Ratsiraka, in a Catholic ceremony.[1] They have four children - Olga, Annick, Xavier, and Sophie.[1]
Born Thérèse Auguste Zafimahova, she was the wife of President Albert Zafy. The couple had three children.[1] Former President Zafy died in October 2017.
Lalao Ravalomanana married her husband, Marc Ravalomanana, in 1974. In April 2013, shortly after returning from exile in South Africa, Lalao Ravalomanana announced her candidacy in the 2013 presidential election.[4] However, Lalao Ravalomanana was barred from running for not having lived in Madagascar for 6 months before the poll[5] In 2015, she was elected Mayor of Antananarivo.
Born Mialy Razakandisa, she met Andry Rajoelina in 1994 while completing her senior year at a high school in Antananarivo. The couple dated long-distance for six years while she completed her undergraduate and masters studies in Paris. The couple married in 2000.