WORLD NEWS: MADAGASCAR'S ANDRY RAJEOLINA RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT IN BOYCOTTED POLL

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Agency Report

The electoral commission announced on Saturday that nearly all opposition candidates on the island nation of Madagascar boycotted the first round of voting, which resulted in the election of incumbent President Andry Rajoelina.

The results of the November 16 presidential election, as reported by the poll body, indicate that Rajoelina received 58.95 percent of the total votes cast; however, the Constitutional Court must ratify these results.

The election commission attributed the low turnout—which was less than 46% of voters than in the previous presidential election in 2018—to the “ambient political climate” and “manipulation of opinion.”

“The Malagasy people have selected the route of consistency and stability,” declared 49-year-old Rajoelina upon the declaration of the results.

Rajoelina initially took office in 2009, when former president Marc Ravalomanana was overthrown by a rebellion. After that, he didn’t vote in the ensuing elections, but in 2018, he successfully returned.

There were twelve candidates to pick from, Rajeolina, for the 11 million voters. Ten of the incumbent’s opponents called the election a farce, declined to run for office, and urged people to avoid casting a ballot.

Rivals accuse Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, of being dishonest, avaricious, and of covering up the theft of the nation’s natural riches, particularly its priceless rosewood trees.

“What results? What election?” was the joint opposition response to a request for comment on Rajeolina’s victory.

“We will not recognise the results of this illegitimate election, riddled with irregularities, and we decline all responsibility for the political and social instability that could ensue”, the opponents warned.

– ‘Worrying Anomalies’ –

The opposition has not yet indicated if it will formally contest the result and has not called for more street demonstrations.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, the opposition — including two former presidents — led near-daily, largely unauthorised protests that were regularly dispersed by police using tear gas.

Madagascar has been in turmoil since media reports in June revealed Rajoelina had acquired French nationality in 2014.

Under local law, the president should have lost his Madagascan nationality, and with it, the ability to lead the country, his opponents said.

Opposition candidates complained of an “institutional coup” in favour of the incumbent, accusing government of working to reappoint Rajoelina.

They called for the electoral process to be suspended and for the international community to intervene.

Eight countries and organisations including the European Union and the United States expressed concern about the “disproportionate use of force” to disperse opposition demonstrations.

The opposition has denounced irregularities, including closed polling stations, a lack of ballot boxes and the use of state resources by Rajoelina for his campaign.

One of the two opponents who formally remained in the race, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, also denounced “worrying anomalies” which he said “raise legitimate questions about the validity of the results”.

The election took place “in regular and transparent conditions”, Arsene Dama, the president of the national electoral commission, said on Saturday.

Dama’s impartiality has been questioned by the opposition.

AFP