Richard Anthony Rakoto (born November 16, 1981) is a McGrathian politician and businessman who is the second and current president of the Republic of McGrathia since January 20, 2025. He is the first president of McGrathia of Malagasy descent. Prior to becoming president, Rakoto was the founder of South Western Railways, the operator of McGrathia’s only railroad.
Early Life and Career
Richard Anthony Rakoto was born on November 16, 1981, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He is the only child of Gabriel and Justine Rakoto, an immigrant couple from the island country of Madagascar who immigrated to America in 1972. Rakoto was named after former president Richard Nixon, who was the incumbent president when the Rakoto family arrived in Jersey City.
After Richard Rakoto finished high school in 1999, he attended Harvard Business School in Massachusetts, where he graduated in 2003. Afterwards, he would move to Fort Worth, Texas, to work on the corporate side of the BNSF Railway.
Moving to McGrathia
By 2018, Rakoto had been working for BNSF for 12 years. It was that year that he would be hired by Joe McGrath, the then-president of McGrathia, to build a railroad network in the McGrathian capital of Joetown. After collecting money from investors, Rakoto established South Western Railways, who would operate the country’s railroad. The railroad began construction in 2019 and was completed in 2021.
As a reward for constructing McGrathia’s railroad, President McGrath granted McGrathian citizenship to Rakoto, thereby allowing him to live and work in McGrathia.
Presidency
In February 2024, President Joe McGrath announced that he would not seek re-election in that year’s presidential election. In March of that year, Rakoto announced that he would run for president to succeed McGrath. In the general election, Rakoto was elected unopposed and became the second president of McGrathia. He was sworn in at noon on January 20, 2025, becoming the first Malagasy president in the history of McGrathia.
Foreign Policy
On July 14, 2025, President Rakoto signed an executive order to put economic sanctions of Switzerland, McGrathia’s mortal enemy, and banned all trade with that country.
In August, Rakoto made a state visit to Russia and spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on renewing the Russo-McGrathian Alliance that had been established in 2022. This state visit with Russia was heavily criticized by European countries, especially Poland, who thought that McGrathia was going to help Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. President Rakoto denied these rumors and clarified that the state visit was to rebuild trust with the Russian Federation by the western world.
Economic Policy
In May 2025, Rakoto signed into law the Affordable Housing Act, which made housing in McGrathia affordable to all citizens of the country. The purpose off the law was to make it possible for new homeowners to buy their own house.
Personal Life
Ever since he moved to McGrathia, Rakoto has lived in a rowhouse at 12 Central Avenue in Joetown. He is unmarried and has no children. Rakoto is also a Methodist Christian and regularly attends church on Sundays. Rakoto can speak English and Malagasy. He is also fluent is French.