An ex-president of Madagascar and the man who overthrew him in a 2009 coup will compete to become the island state’s next leader in a run-off election in December after the two came top in a first-round vote that eliminated the incumbent.
Former president Marc Ravalomanana garnered thirty-five-point-three percent of the vote in the first round on November seventh, behind his successor, Andry Rajoelina, who got thirty-nine-point-two percent, the High Constitutional Court ruled today.
Incumbent President Hery Rajaonarimampianina drew just eight-point-eight percent, the court said, and will not take part in the second round, due on the nineteenth of December. The court rejected his request for the vote to be cancelled and Rajoelina’s votes invalidated, saying there was insufficient evidence of widespread irregularities.
Madagascar is hoping for its second peaceful election since the upheaval of 2009 when Ravalomanana was toppled by protests led by Rajoelina in what the African Union and other international organizations said was a coup.
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