Madagascar witnesses its citizens exercise their democratic rights as they participated in parliamentary elections
(MENAFN) Madagascar witnessed its citizens exercise their Democratic rights as they participated in parliamentary elections on Wednesday, with the Tanora Malagasy Vonona party anticipated to maintain its majority position. The ruling party had secured 84 out of 151 seats in the previous 2019 poll.
The electoral process unfolded across the African nation's diverse landscape, with polling stations opening early and concluding at 5 pm local time, attracting approximately 11.6 million eligible voters who were tasked with electing members to the National Assembly. Over 450 candidates vied for these coveted seats, as confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
A crucial aspect of the electoral dynamics rests on the requirement for a political party to secure at least 76 seats to obtain a parliamentary majority, thus wielding significant legislative influence. Observers from esteemed bodies such as the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) vigilantly monitored the electoral proceedings spanning 120 districts throughout the nation.
The electoral event unfolded against the backdrop of recent political developments, notably President Andry Rajoelina's victory securing a third term in November. However, his re-election was marred by controversy as ten out of twelve opposition candidates boycotted the polls. Their boycott stemmed from demands for Rajoelina's disqualification on the grounds of acquiring French nationality in 2014, a claim refuted by the president. Rajoelina argued that the Malagasy constitution does not mandate the head of state to be exclusively Malagasy, dismissing assertions that obtaining French citizenship would entail automatic loss of Malagasy nationality without government authorization.
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