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Madagascar: Presidential election deemed fair by observers
Election observers have certified Madagascar’s run-off presidential election as free and credible on Sunday, urging the candidates to stay calm as counting continued after the vote.
By late Sunday, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, was leading with 15 percent of votes counted, though both sides accused the other of fraud and his rival, Robinson Jean Louis, demanded a publication of the results be suspended.
However, election observers, both local and international, said they could fault little so far.
“According to the parameters and methodology of the European Union, the election was free, credible and democratic,” said EU mission chief Maria Muniz de Urquiza of Friday’s vote to restore democracy to the island-nation.
She cautioned though that “the process has not finished. We have to wait for counting to end and the reporting of the results,” after both candidates claimed victory.
The parliamentary and run-off presidential polls were aimed at ending economic and political stagnation on the island-nation after current leader Andry Rajoelina seized power from Marc Ravalomanana in an army-backed coup in 2009.
Both Rajoelina and Ravalomanana were barred from running for the presidency as the international community fears a return to violence, but proxy candidates ran instead.
