President of Comoros - Definition and Overview

Holders of the post of President of Comoros.

• Ahmed Abdallah (1975)

• Ali Soilih (August 3 1976-May 1978)
  

Came to power with a coup, assisted by Bob Denard. He envisioned accomplishing a revolution, beginning with independence from France, a "social revolution and finally decentralizing government administration by establishing provinces providing services on the model of the Chinese people's communes. He lowered the voting age to fourteen and mobilized youth into a special revolutionary militia (the Moissy), which launched violent attacks on conservative elders in Red Guard style. In 1976 he burned the French government archives. The treasury was soon empty and about 3,500 civil servants were dismissed in 1977. Several attempts were made on Solih's life, attacks by the Moissy on real and imagined political opponents escalated and food shortages in 1976-1977 required the government to seek international help. This weak position and his anti-French attitude led to the second Denard coup of 1978, in which Soilih was killed under mysterious circumstances on May 29.

• Ahmed Abdallah (May 1978-1989)

During his reign Bob Denard was the de facto ruler of the country. Killed in a 1989 coup, probably by Denard, although that could not be prooved.

• Said Mohamed Djohar (1989-1996)

Supreme court judge, flown into exile on Union after the 1995 coup by Denard, but was not allowed to return to his office immediately after the French intervened, but had to wait until January 1996. He then left office permanently in March 1996 after presidential elections.

• Mohammed Taki Abdoulkarim (1996-1998)

Became president in March 1996 by elections. While president, he died at the age of 62, at his palace in the capital Moroni, only hours after returning from a visit to Turkey and Spain.

• Tadjidine Ben Said Massonde (1998-1999) Interim President

• Col. Azali Assoumani (1999-January, 2002) Military Junta

• Hamada Madi Bolero

Interim president because Azali resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections.

• Col. Azali Assoumani (2002- present)

Azali elected president with 75% of the vote in the 14 April 2002 elections.

Sources

• [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/209020.stm) BBC Article about the death of Taki
• [2] (http://www.nrc.nl/W2/Nieuws/1999/05/20/Vp/06.html) Dutch language article