The Democratic Republic of Madagascar (Malagasy: Repoblika Demokratika Malagasy, French: République démocratique de Madagascar) was a Marxist–Leninist socialist state that existed on the island of Madagascar from 1975 to 1992. The Malagasy Revolutionary Party served as the vanguard of the Malagasy working class. Its first and only president was Didier Ratsiraka, also known as the "Red Admiral".