Malagasy general election, 2013

Presidential election

2009-2012

The presidential election was announced after the change of government in March 2009 by the current President Andry Rajoelina transition, he spoke of elections within the next 24 months. Under pressure from the international donors was decided in July 2009 that the elections should not take place before the end of the year; however, they were postponed to spring 2011.

As was agreed on 17 November 2010 on a new constitution, observers interpreted this as a consolidation of power by Rajoelina. On the one hand was reduced to 35 years, with the new constitution, the age for a presidential candidacy, which the then 36 -year-old Rajoelina enabled application. On the other hand, requires a clause in the new Constitution, that a candidate must have lived before the election at least six months in Madagascar, which the former president Marc Ravalomanana and other exiled opposition leaders were excluded from participation. Rajoelina expressed, however, that he would not compete in the presidential election. The elections were again postponed.

On September 17, 2011 the political parties finally agreed on the holding of presidential elections in March 2012. This date was again postponed several times, most recently on 24 July 2013. In the Convention of 17 September 2011 were noted also that the Ravalomanana return to Madagascar and participation will allow in the elections. In addition, Rajoelina should remain until the elections interim president. Ravalomanana announced in late 2012 that he would not compete. A month later also included Rajoelina from a candidacy; he had announced in May 2010 that he would not run for office. However, in August 2012, he drew a candidacy again considered.

2013

On May 3, 2013, the Malagasy Constitutional Court published a list of 41 names of people who are candidates for the office of President. These included Lalao Ravalomanana, the wife of former President Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka, president from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2002 and Rajoelina.

Rajoelina based his candidacy so that Ravalomanana had broken his promise on a non- candidacy with the application of his wife.

The validity of the candidacies of Lalao Ravalomanana and Didier Ratsiraka was initially uncertain, as both people were not living six months before the elections in Madagascar. Lalao Ravalomanana returned only in March 2013 returned to Madagascar after she had lived with her ​​husband in his country of exile in South Africa. Ratsiraka lived until April 2013 in exile in France. The Constitutional Court finally allowed their candidacies because they were not voluntarily residing abroad. The validity of the candidacy of Rajoelina has been questioned since he had enrolled only long after the application deadline. Nevertheless, this candidacy was accepted.

The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) and the African Union could then announce that they would not support or recognize the elections, these three candidates should stay in the race. The European Union and the SADC also threatened with sanctions. The choice therefore had to be postponed indefinitely. On August 17, a newly compiled special court finally declared the candidatures of Rajoelina, Ravalomanana and Ratsiraka and five other candidates invalid. A few days later announced the Electoral Commission that the first round of voting will take place on October 25. A possibly more necessary second vote is scheduled for December 20.

First ballot

For the first round of voting on October 25, 2013 had 33 candidates. Among the best known candidates include:

• Hajo Andrianainarivelo
• Jean Lahiniriko - Ex- Chairman of the National Assembly
• Pierrot Rajaonarivelo - Foreign Minister
• Hery Rajaonarimampianina - ex-finance minister, is supported by Rajoelina
• Roland Ratsiraka - grandson of Didier Ratsiraka
• Edgard Razafindravahy - Mayor of Antananarivo
• Jean Louis Robinson - Ex- Minister of Health, is supported by Ravalomanana
• Monja Roindefo - Ex- Prime Minister
• Camille Vital - Ex- Prime Minister

A total of 7,823,305 Malagasy people were eligible to vote, which is about a third of the Malagasy population.

Result

Most votes received Jean -Louis Robinson ( 21.10% ) and Hery Rajaonarimampianina ( 15.93 %). These two candidates were in a second ballot at once. 6.28 % of the ballots were invalid or blank. Voter turnout was 61.85 %.

Incidents

For three of the 20,001 polling stations incidents were reported. In the south, a district chief said to have been killed. However, it is unclear whether a connection with the election there. In the city Bezaha it to have come to a kidnapping and the District Tsaratanana a polling station was set on fire. In all three polling stations the ballot could be continued at a later date.

Second round of voting

The second round of voting took place on 20 December. According to observers, there were no significant incidents. Mid -January, the election Court the final result is known. Accordingly accounted Hery Rajaonarimampianina 53.5% of the valid votes, his rival Robinson 46.5 %. On Saturday, January 25, 2014 Hery Rajaonarimampianina was introduced in a public ceremony in Mahamasina Stadium in his office as President. It came after the conclusion of the festivities outside the stadium to a bomb attack, in which a child was killed.

Parliamentary elections

The parliamentary elections were held on 20 December 2013. Originally, the elections were scheduled in March 2010, but has since been postponed several times.

Were elected the 150 members of the National Assembly and 60 out of 90 senators.