Malagasy presidential election, 2006
Encyclopedia
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar
on 3 December 2006.http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm President Marc Ravalomanana
, in office since he prevailed in a dispute over election results in 2002, ran for re-election. On 9 December, Ravalomanana was declared to have won in the first round with about 55 percent of the vote.
Exiled former deputy prime minister Pierrot Rajaonarivelo
of the AREMA
opposition party tried to run for president, and was considered Ravalomanana's main opponent, but he was barred from participation; he was not allowed to enter the country (on one occasion the airport at the eastern city of Toamasina
was closed to keep him out, and when he tried again to enter the country he was not allowed aboard a plane in nearby Mauritius
), and his registration papers, which he could not sign because he was not allowed into the country, were rejected because he had not signed them himself. During his exile, Rajaonarivelo was convicted of misuse of funds, and he could be arrested if he returns to Madagascar. Fourteen other presidential candidates were approved on October 18, while three others were rejected for not paying a required deposit.
In May, the date of the election was moved forward to December 3, several weeks earlier than had previously been expected. The reason given was that the earlier date could avoid having the election affected by bad weather during the rainy season; the constitutional court approved the new date, saying that it did not violate the constitution. The constitution says an election should be held between 30 and 60 days before the end of a president's mandate. Many of the opposition candidates did not like the earlier date and wanted the election to be postponed; they said that the constitution required that the election not be held before December 25.
Aside from Ravalomanana, presidential candidates included former deputy prime minister Herizo Razafimahaleo
, former prime minister and acting president Norbert Ratsirahonana
, Roland Ratsiraka
, nephew of former president Didier Ratsiraka
and mayor of Toamasina, and Jean Lahiniriko
, who was Speaker of the National Assembly from 2003 until earlier in 2006. One woman also ran for president, Elia Ravelomanantsoa
.
In mid November, retired general Andrianafidisoa
, commonly known as Fidy, whose candidacy had been rejected for failing to pay the deposit, had leaflets distributed announcing a military takeover
; describing Ravalomanana's government as unconstitutional, he called for the military to support him. This led to a clash at a military base in which one soldier was reported killed, and Ravalomanana's plane, carrying him back to Madagascar, had to be diverted from the capital, Antananarivo
, to another part of the country. Subsequently the situation was described as calm and without any sign of a military takeover. A warrant for Fidy's arrest was issued, and Fidy subsequently denied that there had been a coup attempt, calling that a misinterpretation. On November 22, Fidy received the backing of most of the presidential candidates, who said he was defending the constitution and the interests of the nation. A few days after the election, the government unsuccessfully attempted to arrest one of the candidates who backed Fidy, Pety Rakotoniaina
, the mayor of Fianarantsoa
. The government denied that this was because of his support for Fidy and accused him of other crimes, including holding an illegal gathering the day before the election, after the end of campaigning. Fidy was captured on December 12; Rakotoniaina was not captured until July 2007.
, Ravalomanana's main support base, were reported first, and they showed Ravalomanana with 70.1 percent of the vote. Challengers Norbert Ratsirahonana and Herizo Razafimahaleo had 10.69 percent and 7.4 percent of the vote respectively; Roland Ratsiraka had about 5 percent. Subsequent results from almost 14 percent of polling stations gave Ravalomanana 65.6 percent; Ratsiraka held second place with 8.8 percent while Razafimahaleo had 7.15 percent and Ratsirahonana had 6.99 percent. Results from 77 percent of polling stations showed Ravalomanana with 56.6 percent of the vote and Ratsiraka in second place with 10.4 percent. On December 8, with votes counted from 82 percent of polling stations, counting was temporarily suspended due to electrical power problems. On December 9, with votes counted from 96 percent of polling stations, Ravalomanana had 55.1 percent of the vote and was declared the winner. Jean Lahiniriko was in second place with 11.4 percent.
Ballot papers for the candidates Monja Roindefo
, Philippe Tsiranana, Ferdinand Razakarimanana, and Manandafy Rakotonirina
were not available at polling stations. They had not met the October 29 deadline for submitting the papers and, although they tried to submit them afterward, the government refused to accept them and said that anyone who attempted to distribute ballot papers to polling stations on the day of the election would be arrested.
According to results released by the Interior Ministry of Madagascar on December 10, a total of 61.45 percent of the country's registered 7.3 million voters went to the polling stations, giving Ravalomanana 54.8 percent of the votes, 11.68 percent for Jean Lahiniriko, 10.09 percent for Roland Ratsiraka, and 9.05 percent for Razafimahaleo. The figures still needed to be confirmed by the Constitutional High Court to be official. Lahiniriko's campaign director called the results false and said that Ravalomanana had only won about 49 percent; both Lahiniriko and Ratsiraka said that they were challenging the official results in court.
On December 23, the Constitutional High Court confirmed that Ravalomanana won the election with 54.8 percent of the vote. The final official results gave Lahiniriko 11.65 percent and Ratsiraka 10.14 percent. Ravalomanana was sworn in for his second term on January 19, 2007.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
on 3 December 2006.http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm President Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana is a Malagasy politician who was the President of Madagascar from 2002 to 2009. A member of the Merina ethnic group, Ravalomanana served as Mayor of Antananarivo before becoming President in 2002...
, in office since he prevailed in a dispute over election results in 2002, ran for re-election. On 9 December, Ravalomanana was declared to have won in the first round with about 55 percent of the vote.
Exiled former deputy prime minister Pierrot Rajaonarivelo
Pierrot Rajaonarivelo
Pierrot Jocelyn Rajaonarivelo is a Malagasy politician and National Secretary of the AREMA party. He served in the government of Madagascar as Deputy Prime Minister from 1997 to 2002, under President Didier Ratsiraka. He went into exile when Ratsiraka was ousted in 2002, and he was subsequently...
of the AREMA
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar
The Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or Pillar and Structure for the Salvation of Madagascar is a political party in Madagascar.*National secretary: Pierrot Rajaonarivelo...
opposition party tried to run for president, and was considered Ravalomanana's main opponent, but he was barred from participation; he was not allowed to enter the country (on one occasion the airport at the eastern city of Toamasina
Toamasina
Toamasina , meaning "like salt" or "salty", unofficially and in French also Tamatave, is a city on the east coast of Madagascar on the Indian Ocean. The city is the chief seaport of the country, situated northeast of its capital and biggest city Antananarivo, near the centre of the eastern coast...
was closed to keep him out, and when he tried again to enter the country he was not allowed aboard a plane in nearby Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
), and his registration papers, which he could not sign because he was not allowed into the country, were rejected because he had not signed them himself. During his exile, Rajaonarivelo was convicted of misuse of funds, and he could be arrested if he returns to Madagascar. Fourteen other presidential candidates were approved on October 18, while three others were rejected for not paying a required deposit.
In May, the date of the election was moved forward to December 3, several weeks earlier than had previously been expected. The reason given was that the earlier date could avoid having the election affected by bad weather during the rainy season; the constitutional court approved the new date, saying that it did not violate the constitution. The constitution says an election should be held between 30 and 60 days before the end of a president's mandate. Many of the opposition candidates did not like the earlier date and wanted the election to be postponed; they said that the constitution required that the election not be held before December 25.
Aside from Ravalomanana, presidential candidates included former deputy prime minister Herizo Razafimahaleo
Herizo Razafimahaleo
Herizo Jossicher Razafimahaleo was a politician in Madagascar. He ran for President three times, and he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 1997 to 1998....
, former prime minister and acting president Norbert Ratsirahonana
Norbert Ratsirahonana
Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana is a Malagasy politician.He was born in Antsiranana, Diana Region. He founded and led the Asa Vita no Ifampitsarana Party, which opposed President Didier Ratsiraka. He and his party were part of the coalition which elected Albert Zafy to the presidency in 1993...
, Roland Ratsiraka
Roland Ratsiraka
Iarovana Roland Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician.Born in Antananarivo, Roland is the nephew of former President Didier Ratsiraka. He studied both in Madagascar and in France, before founding several companies....
, nephew of former president Didier Ratsiraka
Didier Ratsiraka
Vice Admiral Didier Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician who was President of Madagascar from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2002.-Second Republic:...
and mayor of Toamasina, and Jean Lahiniriko
Jean Lahiniriko
Jean Lahiniriko is a Malagasy politician. He served in the government of Madagascar as Minister of Public Works from 2002 to 2003 and was President of the National Assembly of Madagascar from 2003 to 2006. Subsequently he was the second place candidate in the 2006 presidential election...
, who was Speaker of the National Assembly from 2003 until earlier in 2006. One woman also ran for president, Elia Ravelomanantsoa
Elia Ravelomanantsoa
Elia Ravelomanantsoa is a Malagasy politician and the director of Synergy-FCB.Born in Antananarivo, Ravelomanantsoa set herself up in business at the age of seventeen. She founded the Manja festival of fashion in 1986. From 1990 until 1993, she was on the Committee of the Group of Reflection and...
.
In mid November, retired general Andrianafidisoa
Andrianafidisoa
Andrianafidisoa, popularly known as Fidy, is a retired military general of the Army of Madagascar and a former Director of the National Mines and Strategic Industries Office . He allegedly attempted a coup d'état against Malagasy President Marc Ravalomanana on November 18, 2006...
, commonly known as Fidy, whose candidacy had been rejected for failing to pay the deposit, had leaflets distributed announcing a military takeover
2006 Malagasy coup d'état attempt
An alleged coup d'état attempt occurred in Madagascar on November 18, 2006, during the lead-up to the December 3 presidential election, when retired army General Andrianafidisoa, also known as Fidy , declared military rule.According to judicial authorities, Andrianafidisoa was not allowed to run...
; describing Ravalomanana's government as unconstitutional, he called for the military to support him. This led to a clash at a military base in which one soldier was reported killed, and Ravalomanana's plane, carrying him back to Madagascar, had to be diverted from the capital, Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, to another part of the country. Subsequently the situation was described as calm and without any sign of a military takeover. A warrant for Fidy's arrest was issued, and Fidy subsequently denied that there had been a coup attempt, calling that a misinterpretation. On November 22, Fidy received the backing of most of the presidential candidates, who said he was defending the constitution and the interests of the nation. A few days after the election, the government unsuccessfully attempted to arrest one of the candidates who backed Fidy, Pety Rakotoniaina
Pety Rakotoniaina
Pety Rakotoniaina is a Malagasy politician. He is the President of the Union association and the Mayor of Fianarantsoa.Born in Ikalamavony, Rakotoniaina studied at the University of Fianarantsoa Madagascar...
, the mayor of Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa
Fianarantsoa is a city in south central Madagascar.Fianarantsoa is the capital of Haute Matsiatra Region. It was built in the early 19th century by the Merina as the administrative capital for the newly conquered Betsileo kingdoms....
. The government denied that this was because of his support for Fidy and accused him of other crimes, including holding an illegal gathering the day before the election, after the end of campaigning. Fidy was captured on December 12; Rakotoniaina was not captured until July 2007.
Results
Results from the capital AntananarivoAntananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, Ravalomanana's main support base, were reported first, and they showed Ravalomanana with 70.1 percent of the vote. Challengers Norbert Ratsirahonana and Herizo Razafimahaleo had 10.69 percent and 7.4 percent of the vote respectively; Roland Ratsiraka had about 5 percent. Subsequent results from almost 14 percent of polling stations gave Ravalomanana 65.6 percent; Ratsiraka held second place with 8.8 percent while Razafimahaleo had 7.15 percent and Ratsirahonana had 6.99 percent. Results from 77 percent of polling stations showed Ravalomanana with 56.6 percent of the vote and Ratsiraka in second place with 10.4 percent. On December 8, with votes counted from 82 percent of polling stations, counting was temporarily suspended due to electrical power problems. On December 9, with votes counted from 96 percent of polling stations, Ravalomanana had 55.1 percent of the vote and was declared the winner. Jean Lahiniriko was in second place with 11.4 percent.
Ballot papers for the candidates Monja Roindefo
Monja Roindefo
Monja Roindefo Zafitsimivalo is a Malagasy politician who was Prime Minister of Madagascar from March 2009 to October 2009. He was appointed on 7 February 2009 by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina at the head of Rajoelina's rival government; later, on 17 March, Rajoelina was installed in power by...
, Philippe Tsiranana, Ferdinand Razakarimanana, and Manandafy Rakotonirina
Manandafy Rakotonirina
Manandafy Rakotonirina is a Malagasy politician. He has been a significant political figure in Madagascar since the 1970s, and in April 2009 he was appointed as Prime Minister by ousted President Marc Ravalomanana.- Early life :...
were not available at polling stations. They had not met the October 29 deadline for submitting the papers and, although they tried to submit them afterward, the government refused to accept them and said that anyone who attempted to distribute ballot papers to polling stations on the day of the election would be arrested.
According to results released by the Interior Ministry of Madagascar on December 10, a total of 61.45 percent of the country's registered 7.3 million voters went to the polling stations, giving Ravalomanana 54.8 percent of the votes, 11.68 percent for Jean Lahiniriko, 10.09 percent for Roland Ratsiraka, and 9.05 percent for Razafimahaleo. The figures still needed to be confirmed by the Constitutional High Court to be official. Lahiniriko's campaign director called the results false and said that Ravalomanana had only won about 49 percent; both Lahiniriko and Ratsiraka said that they were challenging the official results in court.
On December 23, the Constitutional High Court confirmed that Ravalomanana won the election with 54.8 percent of the vote. The final official results gave Lahiniriko 11.65 percent and Ratsiraka 10.14 percent. Ravalomanana was sworn in for his second term on January 19, 2007.