▁grounds ▁that ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁official ▁documents ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁language ▁was ▁un const itution al . ▁The ▁High ▁Constitution al ▁Court ▁observed ▁in ▁its ▁decision ▁that , ▁in ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁a ▁language ▁law , ▁French ▁still ▁had ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁an ▁official ▁language . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Mal ag asy ▁remained ▁the ▁national ▁language ▁while ▁official ▁languages ▁were ▁re int rodu ced : ▁Mal ag asy , ▁French , ▁and ▁English . ▁English ▁was ▁removed ▁as ▁an ▁official ▁language ▁from ▁the ▁constitution ▁approved ▁by ▁vot ers ▁in ▁the ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁refer endum . ▁The ▁outcome ▁of ▁the ▁refer endum , ▁and ▁its ▁consequences ▁for ▁official ▁and ▁national ▁language ▁policy , ▁are ▁not ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁political ▁opposition , ▁who ▁c ite ▁lack ▁of ▁trans par ency ▁and ▁inclus iveness ▁in ▁the ▁way ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁High ▁Trans itional ▁Author ity . ▁ ▁Religion ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁State ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁ 4 1 % ▁of ▁Mad ag asc ans ▁pract iced ▁Christian ity , ▁and ▁ 5 2 % ▁ad her ed ▁to ▁traditional ▁relig ions , ▁which ▁tends ▁to ▁emphas ize ▁links ▁between ▁the ▁living ▁and ▁the ▁raz ana ▁( anc est ors ); ▁these ▁numbers ▁were ▁drawn ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁census . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁P ew ▁Research ▁Center ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁ 8