Herizo Razafimahaleo

Herizo Jossicher Razafimahaleo (February 21, 1955 – July 25, 2008 ) was a politician in Madagascar. He ran for President three times, and he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 1997 to 1998.

As a youth, Herizo Razafimahaleo was a prominent Malagasy swimmer and set his country's record for being the longest uninterrupted breaststroke champion. He founded the newspaper L'Express de Madagascar in 1995.

Razafimahaleo was the LEADER-Fanilo candidate in the November 1996 presidential election, winning 15.13% of the vote and taking third place. On December 28 he announced his support for Ratsiraka in the second round of the election, which was held on the next day;

Ratsiraka took office as president on February 9, 1997, He was not included in the subsequent government of Prime Minister Tantely Andrianarivo, formed in July 1998.

He began a return to active politics with a press conference on January 24, 2006, in which he was sharply critical of Ravalomanana. Razafimahaleo took 9.03% of the vote and came in fourth place according to official results. His best result was in Antsiranana Province, where he won 22.44% of the vote, followed by Fianarantsoa Province, where he won 16.37%.

Razafimahaleo opposed the constitutional changes proposed in the 2007 constitutional referendum and participated in a national committee that campaigned for a "no" vote as a coordinator of action.

Razafimahaleo died on 25 July 2008 His family declined any posthumous honors for Razafimahaleo from the government. His body was taken from Antananarivo to Ambositra on July 29 for his funeral there on July 30.

Herizo Razafimahaleo is credited with a significant political legacy and is frequently referred to as the father of political ethics in Madagascar.