▁Phili bert ▁Ts ir an ana , ▁was ▁character ized ▁by ▁a ▁continu ation ▁of ▁strong ▁economic ▁and ▁political ▁t ies ▁to ▁France . ▁Many ▁high - level ▁technical ▁positions ▁were ▁filled ▁by ▁French ▁exp atri ates , ▁and ▁French ▁teachers , ▁text books ▁and ▁curr ic ula ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁in ▁schools ▁around ▁the ▁country . ▁Popular ▁res ent ment ▁over ▁Ts ir an ana ' s ▁toler ance ▁for ▁this ▁" neo - colon ial " ▁arrangement ▁inspired ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁far mer ▁and ▁student ▁protest s ▁that ▁over turn ed ▁his ▁administration ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁Gabriel ▁Ram an ant so a , ▁a ▁major ▁general ▁in ▁the ▁army , ▁was ▁appointed ▁inter im ▁president ▁and ▁prime ▁minister ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁but ▁low ▁public ▁appro val ▁forced ▁him ▁to ▁step ▁down ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Colonel ▁Richard ▁R ats im andra va , ▁appointed ▁to ▁succeed ▁him , ▁was ▁assass in ated ▁six ▁days ▁into ▁his ▁ten ure . ▁General ▁G illes ▁And ri am ah az o ▁ruled ▁after ▁R ats im andra va ▁for ▁four ▁months ▁before ▁being ▁replaced ▁by ▁another ▁military ▁app o inte e : ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Did ier ▁Rat si ra ka , ▁who ▁us her ed ▁in ▁the ▁social ist - Mar x ist ▁Second ▁Republic ▁that ▁ran ▁under ▁his ▁ten ure ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁ ▁This ▁period ▁saw ▁a ▁political ▁alignment ▁with ▁the