It was the ruling party of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar, a one-party socialist state, from 1976 to 1992 under the names Vanguard of the Malagasy Revolution (Avant-garde pour la Révolution Malgache) and Vanguard for Malagasy Renovation (Avant-garde pour la Rénovation Malgache) until 2002.

Sometime around 2001, the party changed its Malagasy name to Andry sy rihana enti-manavotra an'i Madagasikara (lit.

The party was founded on 30 March 1976 as the Vanguard of the Malagasy Revolution, the main political alliance of president Didier Ratsiraka.

In the parliamentary election held on 15 December 2002, AREMA won 4.9% of the popular vote and 3 out of 160 seats in the National Assembly, all three in Toamasina Province.

Currently, AREMA is divided into two antagonistic factions: those behind Rajaonarivelo and those who claim to be supported by the party founder, Ratsiraka.

Many prominent party and government officials, public figures, representatives of revolutionary and progressive organizations, scientists and journalists from more than fifty countries attended.

After the dissolution of the Democratic Republic of Madagascar and the country's adoption of a multi-party system, AREMA began to move towards a more moderate left position.