ANTANANARIVO, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Madagascan President Marc Ravalomanana has called the two-house parliament here to convene an extraordinary session to amend the constitution that was revised in April 2007, and to adopt a law on political parties.

    "In accordance with articles 73, 81 and 82 of the Constitution, the National Assembly and the Senate are convened in special session from Monday, January 12, 2009 to Thursday, January 15, 2009," the president said in his decree, published on Wednesday.

    Certain articles of the constitution on elections and political parties should be revised; Ravalomanana told the media following his first government council meeting of the new year here on Monday.

    President Ravalomanana declared the adoption of a law on political parties was an agreement made at the "Presidential Dialogue" last November and at the meeting of political leaders last December.

    He also urged civil society leaders to raise proposals on the improvement of political parties in Madagascar and each political party had already received part of their funding at the end of 2008.

    The ruling party Tiako i Madagasikara (Tim) or I love Madagascar in English, held 106 out of 127 seats in the National Assembly in a national election in September 2007.