members of the Committee wished to 556. In connection with those issues, receive information on progress made in efforts aimed at greater trade union on current efforts to liberalise political life by introducing a freedom; They asked how multi-party system: and on the existing political parties. political parties were formed and registered: what legal requirements related to the right to vote or to be elected; and how the decentralieation of communities had promoted the rights under article 25 of the Covenant. They “revolutionary organisations” meant in Malagasy law; also asked what the term whether trade unions and non-governmental organizations were now regarded as such organizations: for what reasons an association could be dissolved and what machinery had been set up to prevent abuses in that regard; what conditions and restrictions were imposed by law on the exercise of the right to strike: whether changes had been made in the ways public officials could exercise the right to form trade unions in order to bring them into line with the IL0 Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise: and why seamen did not enjoy freedom of association. Further information was also requested on the rights of workers who were not members of one of the trade unions belonging to the National Front. 557. In his reply, the representative of the State party stressed that one of the purposes of the promulgation of the 1975 Constitution had been to mobilise the population and encourage it to play a more active role in the conduct of the country’s affairs. That had led to the establishment of decentralized communities and “revolutionary organizations” composed of political and trade The planned rationalization of the activities of the union organisations. seven main political groups that had adopted the Charter of the Malagasy Socialist Revolution had nevertheless not yielded the expected results and, in 1989, the National Front had broken apart. Since then, the law relating to trade union and political bodies had been completely changed and the requirement that trade unions had to be affiliated with a member party of the National Front had been eliminated. The procedures, under the 1975 Constitution, governing the establishment and activities of political parties had also gradually been replaced by less strict requirements. There were now 33 political groups of varying importance. According to a constitutional draft amendment, all Malagasy citizens without distinction were eligible to vote and to be elected, the voting age being 18. The establishment of the decentralised communities had created a virtually permanent electoral process at all levels and had been an incomparable school for civic and political education. A debate was now under way on the redefinition of the powers to be granted to these bodies, 558. Trade unions were powerful Forces in Madagascar and, since 1975, dialogue and negotiation had been given priority over confrontation. In addition, the earlier provisions relating to trade union rights had been abolished and the free exercise of the right to strike had been explicitly recognised in the new draft article 23 of the Constitution and guaranteed by legal decisions. In the minds of the lawmakers, the restrictions which might be imposed related to the need to maintain public order and guarantee the security of the State. Many trade unions had resorted to strikes in connection with the current intensive activities, which gave them an opportunity to express their grievances concerning wages and conditions of work. Many Malagasy sailors -137-