Madagascar’s lower house of parliament leader had on Friday, November 10, called for the presidential election, whose first round is scheduled for November 16, to be delayed, on the grounds that the conditions for the vote had not been met.
Although it has no legal weight, Christine Razanamahasoa’s appeal shows the deepening isolation of President Andry Rajoelina, whose adversaries have held weeks of daily marches in the capital that police officials scattered with tear gas.
The needed and necessary conditions for an election in line with the law have not met,” Razanamahasoa had declared in a statement. “The electoral process should be postponed.”
Meanwhile the two official bodies that could delay the election: the Independent National Electoral Commission and the High Constitutional Court, had yet to respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
The opposition on its part, had clamoured for changes to the officials running for the electoral commission and for the establishment of a special court to listen to election disputes.
Madagascar is planning for its third peaceful election since the crises of 2009 when Rajoelina overthrew Ravalomanana.
