▁that ▁placed ▁significant ▁control ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁The ▁new ▁constitution ▁also ▁emphas ized ▁human ▁rights , ▁social ▁and ▁political ▁fre ed oms , ▁and ▁free ▁trade . ▁Z af y ' s ▁term , ▁however , ▁was ▁mar red ▁by ▁economic ▁decl ine , ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁cor ruption , ▁and ▁his ▁introduction ▁of ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁give ▁himself ▁greater ▁powers . ▁He ▁was ▁consequ ently ▁im pe ached ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁an ▁inter im ▁president , ▁Nor bert ▁Rat si rah on ana , ▁was ▁appointed ▁for ▁the ▁three ▁months ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁next ▁president ial ▁election . ▁Rat si ra ka ▁was ▁then ▁voted ▁back ▁into ▁power ▁on ▁a ▁platform ▁of ▁decent ral ization ▁and ▁economic ▁re forms ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁term ▁which ▁last ed ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁cont ested ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁president ial ▁elections ▁in ▁which ▁then - may or ▁of ▁Ant an an ar ivo , ▁Marc ▁R aval oman ana , ▁eventually ▁emer ged ▁vict orious , ▁caused ▁a ▁seven - month ▁st ando ff ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁between ▁supp or ters ▁of ▁R aval oman ana ▁and ▁Rat si ra ka . ▁The ▁negative ▁economic ▁impact ▁of ▁the ▁political ▁crisis ▁was ▁gradually ▁overcome ▁by ▁R aval oman ana ' s ▁progress ive ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁policies , ▁which ▁encourag ed ▁invest ments ▁in ▁education ▁and ▁ec ot our ism