- Source: 2023 Malagasy presidential election
Presidential elections were scheduled to be held in Madagascar on 9 November 2023, with a second round on 20 December if required. On 12 October 2023, it was announced that the election would be postponed by one week to 16 November because of pre-election unrest.
Andry Rajoelina was re-elected to another term with 58.95% of the vote in the first round. Turnout was 46.36%, the lowest in a presidential election in the country's history.
Electoral system
The President of Madagascar is elected using the two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the votes in the first round, a run-off will be held.
Candidates
A total of 28 candidates applied to run for the presidency. In the High Constitutional Court decision published on 9 September 2023, only 13 candidates out of 28 were accepted:
They are, by their order on the ballot, decided by sortition:
Tahina Razafinjoelina
Hajo Andrianainarivelo
Andry Rajoelina
Roland Ratsiraka
Marc Ravalomanana
Auguste Richard Paraina
Andry Tsiverizo Raobelina Andriamalala
Jean Brunelle Razafintsiandraofa
Lalaina Harilanto Ratsirahonanana
Hery Rajaonarimampianina
Sendrison Daniela Raderanirina
Jean-Jacques Jedidia Ratsietison
Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko
= Declared but not registered
=Noël Abel Jean
Heritiana Guy LaChapelle
James Rasoamaka
Julia Mickaelle Rasolofonoroniaina
Marie Josiane Vololonirina
Monja Roindefo
Claude Raharivoatra
Elias Ralaiarimanana
James Francklin Rakotomahanina
Eufraime Randrianambinina
Jean Bruno Betsy Andriamanolo
Miarintoa Rasolofotinana
Désiré Nivo Raharovoatra
= Withdrew
=Masy Goulamaly
Annick Ratsiraka
Campaign
During an opposition campaign rally held on 2 October 2023, Marc Ravalomanana, himself a former President and candidate in the election, suffered a leg injury following the use of teargas by the police.
On the same day, candidate Andry Raobelina suffered an injury to the face from a part of an exploded tear gas canister, which prompted him to call for a report of the election to the Haute cour constitutionnelle. The latter decided on 12 October to move the first round from 9 November to 16 November.
Conduct
= Prohibition of political rallies in the open
=In April 2023, incumbent Rajoelina prohibited all political rallies in the open. This was condemned by representatives of the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Germany, France, Switzerland, Norway and Japan.
= Lack of funding
=In a letter to the European Union from May 2023 Rajoelina asked for 30 million euros for assisting in organizing the elections.
= Dual nationality of Rajoelina
=In June 2023 it was discovered that Rajoelina had acquired French nationality for himself, his wife and their three children in 2014. Under Malagasy law, this may have disqualified him from the presidency, as only citizens of Madagascar are eligible to hold the position, and the country imposes a loss of citizenship if voluntarily acquiring another nationality. Rajoelina argued that he automatically obtained the French nationality through his father and only formalized it, meaning he had not voluntarily switched. The Constitutional Court eventually sided with him, pointing out the lack of a decree officially removing his Malagasy nationality.
= Case of Romy Voos Andrianarisoa
=On 14 August 2023 the Director of Cabinet of President Andry Rajoelina, Romy Voos Andrianarisoa, was arrested in London under accusations of corruption in a London-based mining company. She was then dismissed by Rajoelina on 16 August. On a rally of the opposition in Antananarivo on November 13, Paraina August, one of the ten protester candidates and former speaker of the lower house of the Malagasy parliament, claimed that London would have emitted a summons letter to one of the running candidates without specifically mentioning a name. This claim was interpreted by the police as a public defamation, spread of fake news, and incitement to hatred. A few hours later, Paraina August was arrested at the international airport of Ivato and detained by the Police for a couple of hours before finally being released.
= Prohibition of an opposition meeting
=On 5 September 2023 a meeting of the candidates of the opposition was prevented by the police.
= Opposition boycott
=The political opposition largely boycotted the elections.
Results
References
External links
UN reluctant to fund presidential election, Africa Intelligence, February 23, 2023 (requires free registration)
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- 2023 Malagasy presidential election
- Young Malagasies Determined
- List of elections in 2024
- List of elections in 2023
- 2018 Malagasy presidential election
- Andry Rajoelina
- 2001 Malagasy presidential election
- 2024 Malagasy parliamentary election
- 1982 Malagasy presidential election
- 1996 Malagasy presidential election
