2023 Malagasy presidential election

2023 Malagasy presidential election
← 2018 16 November 2023 (2023-11-16) 2028 →
Turnout46.36%
 
Nominee Andry Rajoelina Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko
Party TGV PSD
Popular vote 2,856,090 697,691
Percentage 58.95% 14.39%
 
Nominee Marc Ravalomanana Hery Rajaonarimampianina
Party TIM HVM
Popular vote 586,282 251,144
Percentage 12.09% 5.18%
President before election

Cabinet
(interim, from 9 September 2023 to 27 October 2023)[1]
Richard Ravalomanana
(interim, from 27 October 2023)

 Elected President

Andry Rajoelina
TGV

Politics of Madagascar
Government
Parliament
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
flag Madagascar portal

Presidential elections were scheduled to be held in Madagascar on 9 November 2023, with a second round on 20 December if required.[2] On 12 October 2023, it was announced that the election would be postponed by one week to 16 November because of pre-election unrest.[3]

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.[4]

Electoral system[edit]

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.[5]

Candidates[edit]

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:[6][7]

They are, by their order on the ballot, decided by sortition:[8][9]

  1. Tahina Razafinjoelina
  2. Hajo Andrianainarivelo [fr]
  3. Andry Rajoelina
  4. Roland Ratsiraka
  5. Marc Ravalomanana
  6. Auguste Richard Paraina
  7. Andry Tsiverizo Raobelina Andriamalala
  8. Jean Brunelle Razafintsiandraofa
  9. Lalaina Harilanto Ratsirahonanana
  10. Hery Rajaonarimampianina
  11. Sendrison Daniela Raderanirina
  12. Jean-Jacques Jedidia Ratsietison
  13. Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko

Declared but not registered[edit]

Withdrew[edit]

Campaign[edit]

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.[18][19]

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.[20]

Conduct[edit]

Prohibition of political rallies in the open[edit]

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.[21]

Lack of funding[edit]

In a letter to the European Union from May 2023 Rajoelina asked for 30 million euros for assisting in organizing the elections.[22]

Dual nationality of Rajoelina[edit]

In June 2023 it was discovered that Rajoelina had acquired French nationality for himself, his wife and their three children in 2014.[23][24] 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.[25]

Case of Romy Voos Andrianarisoa[edit]

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.[26] She was then dismissed by Rajoelina on 16 August.[27] 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.[28]

Prohibition of an opposition meeting[edit]

On 5 September 2023 a meeting of the candidates of the opposition was prevented by the police.[29]

Opposition boycott[edit]

The political opposition largely boycotted the elections.[30][31][32]

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Andry RajoelinaYoung Malagasies Determined2,858,94758.96
Siteny RandrianasoloniaikoFitambolagnela IAD–PSD–RPSD Vaovao–ABA697,69114.39
Marc RavalomananaTiako I Madagasikara586,28212.09
Hery RajaonarimampianinaHery Vaovao ho an'ny Madagasikara251,1445.18
Hajo AndrianainariveloMalagasy Miara-Miainga91,8321.89
Tahina RazafinjoelinaFiraisankinan'ny Tia Tanindrazana76,5531.58
Roland RatsirakaMalagasy Tonga Saina76,8581.59
Jean Brunelle RazafintsiandraofaAntoko Politika Madio63,4741.31
Sendrison Daniela RaderanirinaFandrosoa Faritsy iaby ho an'i Madagasikara38,9660.80
Lalaina Harilanto RatsirahonananaAntoko Fihavanantsika32,6080.67
Andry Tsiverizo Raobelina AndriamalalaAnjomara sy Rivo-baovao30,1980.62
Auguste Richard ParainaTsara Tahafina29,8740.62
Jean-Jacques Jedidia RatsietisonFahefa mividy no ilain'ny Malagasy14,4680.30
Total4,848,895100.00
Valid votes4,848,89594.72
Invalid/blank votes270,1235.28
Total votes5,119,018100.00
Registered voters/turnout11,043,83646.35
Source: HCC

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Madagascar". Africa Elects. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Madagascar president resigns ahead of polls in November". Reuters. 10 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Madagascar court orders one-week postponement of presidential election". Reuters. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Andry Rajoelina: Madagascar president re-elected in contested poll". BBC News. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  5. ^ Madagascar: Election for President Archived 2022-01-19 at the Wayback Machine IFES
  6. ^ Ralison, Samuel (9 September 2023). "Décision n°11-HCC/D3 du 9 septembre 2023 arrêtant la liste définitive des candidats au premier tour de l'élection présidentielle du 9 novembre 2023" (in French). Archived from the original on 11 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Election présidentielle à Madagascar : la HCC valide 13 candidatures". Linfo.re. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Madagascar: Group of candidates for November presidential elections demand rejection of incumbent leader's bid". The North Africa Post. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Procès verbal du déroulement du tirage au sort des 13 candidats du lundi 11 Septembre 2023" (in French). 12 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Ambohidahy : Quatre candidats ont déposé leurs dossiers, hier, à la HCC". Midi Madagasikara (in French). 2 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  11. ^ Andriantsalama, Ravo (5 September 2023). "Quatre autres candidats déposent leurs dossiers". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  12. ^ Andriantsalama, Ravo (14 August 2023). "Rolland Ratsiraka déclare sa candidature". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  13. ^ Andriantsalama, Ravo (24 August 2023). "Aucune candidature enregistrée à la HCC". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Election présidentielle à Madagascar - Masy Goulamaly retire sa candidature". Orange actu Madagascar. 7 September 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Hajo Andrianainarivelo: Candidat déclaré à la Présidence". Midi Madagasikara (in French). 1 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  16. ^ Andriantsalama, Ravo (21 August 2023). "Annick Ratsiraka candidate de l'AREMA". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  17. ^ Ranaivoson, Garry Fabrice (9 September 2023). "Annick Ratsiraka se rétracte". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Tear gas fired at opposition in Madagascar". Africanews. 2 October 2023. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  19. ^ Rabary, Lovasoa (7 October 2023). "Madagascar presidential candidate injured after opposition rally teargassed". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  20. ^ "A Madagascar, l'élection présidentielle est reportée d'une semaine". TV5MONDE - Informations. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023..
  21. ^ "A Madagascar, le président Andry Rajoelina confine l'opposition". Le Monde.fr (in French). 6 April 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Madagascar: le pays manque d'argent pour organiser l'élection présidentielle". Mayotte la 1ère (in French). 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  23. ^ "Madagascar: le président Rajoelina est bien français". Le Monde.fr (in French). 15 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  24. ^ Rabearisoa, Sandra (21 June 2023). "Madagascar: polémique sur la nationalité française du président Andry Rajoelina". www.aa.com.tr (in French). Archived from the original on 4 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Low turnout in boycott-hit Madagascar presidential election". France 24. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Suspicion De Corruption - Romy Andrianarisoa arrêtée au Royaume-Uni". L'Express de Madagascar (in French). 14 August 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  27. ^ "Tentative de corruption : En détention provisoire à Londres, la Dircab de la Présidence, limogée". Midi Madagasikara (in French). 16 August 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  28. ^ "Paraina Auguste:Le candidat arrêté et auditionné auprès de la cybercriminalité". Midi Madagascar. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Les candidats de l'opposition empêchés de se réunir". Midi Madagasikara (in French). 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Voting ends in Madagascar presidential election boycotted by opposition". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  31. ^ "Madagascar polls close and opposition shuns votes". BBC News. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  32. ^ Eligon, John (16 November 2023). "Madagascar Votes Amid Violence and Calls for Boycott". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 November 2023.

External links[edit]

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