Andry Rajoelina Set for Landslide Win in Madagascar Election

Preliminary results show incumbent President Andry Rajoelina with a commanding lead in Madagascars election, despite a boycott by the majority of candidates and low voter turnout.

Antananarivo, Nov 17 AP: Madagascar's incumbent President Andry Rajoelina is poised for a landslide re-election, according to preliminary results released by the country's elections management body, Ceni. With nearly 9% of polling stations counted as of Friday midday, Rajoelina has secured 71.26% of the votes cast on Thursday. His nearest rival, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, trails far behind with 10.67% of the votes. Former president Marc Ravalomanana, who was among the 10 candidates who boycotted the election, is in third place with just under 10.08% of the vote.

Low Voter Turnout

The election was marked by a low voter turnout, with just under 40% of Madagascar's 11 million voters casting their ballots. Civil society organisations and a group of the country's main churches had called for a postponement of the election, citing concerns about the legitimacy and fairness of the process. The opposition has already rejected the results, stating that the majority of Malagasy people expressed themselves by staying at home.

High Constitutional Court to Proclaim Official Results

The elections body is expected to proclaim the "provisional consolidated results" for the entire country between November 24 and November 25. It will then be up to the country's High Constitutional Court to proclaim the official results of the election at the beginning of December. A runoff has been scheduled for December 20 if none of the candidates get more than 50% of the vote.

Economic Challenges

Madagascar, a country with a population of 30 million, faces significant economic challenges. The majority of its population lives in poverty, and the economy is heavily dependent on agriculture and tourism. The country relies heavily on foreign aid, and the outcome of the election will have implications for its future economic policies.

Andry Rajoelina is poised for a landslide re-election in Madagascar, despite the boycott by the majority of candidates and a low voter turnout. The official results are expected to be released in the coming weeks, and the new president will face the daunting task of addressing the country's pressing economic challenges.