Berliner Boersenzeitung - Madagascar votes for president amid boycott, tensions

EUR -
AED 3.959931
AFN 74.942278
ALL 101.524416
AMD 433.755616
ANG 1.944394
AOA 896.629001
ARS 392.049845
AUD 1.643361
AWG 1.940983
AZN 1.847013
BAM 1.957387
BBD 2.178416
BDT 118.676197
BGN 1.954522
BHD 0.40656
BIF 3076.458568
BMD 1.078324
BND 1.447107
BOB 7.455078
BRL 5.286057
BSD 1.07888
BTN 89.895352
BWP 14.739084
BYN 3.554514
BYR 21135.151747
BZD 2.174683
CAD 1.464581
CDF 2884.51646
CHF 0.943059
CLF 0.034046
CLP 939.431134
CNY 7.705272
COP 4310.611248
CRC 569.364156
CUC 1.078324
CUP 28.575588
CVE 110.582103
CZK 24.296754
DJF 191.639446
DKK 7.456504
DOP 61.410806
DZD 145.220075
EGP 33.372079
ERN 16.174861
ETB 60.089616
FJD 2.412965
FKP 0.856695
GBP 0.857056
GEL 2.889741
GGP 0.856695
GHS 12.950947
GIP 0.856695
GMD 72.625303
GNF 9278.978972
GTQ 8.447926
GYD 225.719243
HKD 8.423916
HNL 26.688021
HRK 7.593094
HTG 142.717007
HUF 379.721059
IDR 16745.617961
ILS 3.98768
IMP 0.856695
INR 89.857769
IQD 1412.60453
IRR 45572.665952
ISK 150.200322
JEP 0.856695
JMD 167.52968
JOD 0.764965
JPY 158.742229
KES 165.360695
KGS 96.315951
KHR 4442.694975
KMF 492.25664
KPW 970.409136
KRW 1417.764296
KWD 0.332793
KYD 0.899137
KZT 497.354677
LAK 22353.658067
LBP 16212.602168
LKR 352.695888
LRD 202.88616
LSL 20.434904
LTL 3.18401
LVL 0.652267
LYD 5.197314
MAD 10.888374
MDL 19.11794
MGA 4924.706148
MKD 61.65998
MMK 2265.657509
MNT 3723.443077
MOP 8.677775
MRO 384.961507
MUR 47.557015
MVR 16.551774
MWK 1809.967557
MXN 18.632255
MYR 5.034719
MZN 68.203943
NAD 20.434279
NGN 866.430784
NIO 39.62895
NOK 11.81345
NPR 143.832923
NZD 1.75253
OMR 0.415151
PAB 1.078985
PEN 4.052876
PGK 4.019132
PHP 59.721907
PKR 306.462035
PLN 4.326624
PYG 7963.639803
QAR 3.92564
RON 4.967732
RSD 117.09072
RUB 100.065323
RWF 1348.444248
SAR 4.044571
SBD 9.131256
SCR 15.376738
SDG 648.073182
SEK 11.272643
SGD 1.445779
SHP 1.312051
SLE 24.472198
SLL 21296.899999
SOS 616.265707
SRD 40.850121
STD 22319.131095
SYP 14019.420871
SZL 20.433789
THB 37.983423
TJS 11.797572
TMT 3.774134
TND 3.374612
TOP 2.549428
TRY 31.182222
TTD 7.318967
TWD 33.954803
TZS 2695.809951
UAH 39.588357
UGX 4072.39542
USD 1.078324
UYU 42.214218
UZS 13301.127193
VEF 3825610.805758
VES 38.294932
VND 26192.49163
VUV 128.967846
WST 2.939216
XAF 656.50437
XAG 0.045032
XAU 0.000531
XCD 2.914224
XDR 0.811141
XOF 655.089492
XPF 119.693965
YER 269.931462
ZAR 20.413591
ZMK 9706.203717
ZMW 25.947153
ZWL 347.21991
  • RBGPF

    -1.7860

    67.298

    -2.65%

  • BCC

    -2.3100

    111.11

    -2.08%

  • SLAC

    0.0000

    10.3

    0%

  • CMSC

    -0.0200

    24.5

    -0.08%

  • NGG

    0.8300

    67.07

    +1.24%

  • SCS

    0.0150

    12.385

    +0.12%

  • BTI

    -2.6700

    28.87

    -9.25%

  • RIO

    0.5600

    69.05

    +0.81%

  • GSK

    -0.1150

    36.215

    -0.32%

  • BP

    -0.4150

    34.875

    -1.19%

  • SCU

    -0.0300

    12.72

    -0.24%

  • JRI

    0.1300

    11.36

    +1.14%

  • RELX

    -0.0100

    38.8

    -0.03%

  • RYCEF

    0.0340

    3.634

    +0.94%

  • BCE

    0.2500

    40.72

    +0.61%

  • VOD

    0.0230

    9.053

    +0.25%

  • CMSD

    0.0300

    24.15

    +0.12%

  • AZN

    -0.2750

    63.735

    -0.43%

Madagascar votes for president amid boycott, tensions
Madagascar votes for president amid boycott, tensions / Photo: RIJASOLO - AFP

Madagascar votes for president amid boycott, tensions

Madagascar is to hold presidential elections on Thursday that are being boycotted by most opposition candidates over concerns about the vote's regularity amid high political tensions.

Text size:

The Indian Ocean island nation is the leading global producer of vanilla but one of the world's poorest countries and has been shaken by successive political crises since independence from France in 1960.

President Andry Rajoelina has brushed off criticism and expressed confidence that he will secure re-election in the first round of voting.

Polls open at 06:00 am (0300 GMT) and close at 05:00 pm.

Rajoelina, 49, is one of 13 candidates on the ballot but 10 have called on voters to shun the elections, complaining of an "institutional coup" in favour of the incumbent.

Since early October, the opposition grouping -- which includes two former presidents -- has led near daily, largely unauthorised protest marches in the capital.

They have been regularly dispersed by police firing tear gas.

"We appeal to everyone not to vote. Conditions for a transparent presidential election, accepted by all, have not been met," Roland Ratsiraka, one of the protesting candidates, said on Tuesday.

"We do not want to participate in this fraud, it is a joke on Madagascar."

On Wednesday, authorities imposed a night curfew in Antananarivo, following what the police prefect said were "various acts of sabotage".

Rajoelina, who first took power in 2009 on the back of a coup then skipped the following elections only to make a winning comeback in 2018, has ploughed ahead despite the tensions.

As his opponents refused to campaign, he flew across the country by private plane, showcasing schools, roads and hospitals built during his tenure.

"It is irresponsible to encourage voters not to vote," said his campaign spokeswoman Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy, accusing the opposition of wanting to "sabotage" the vote by "attempting to take the entire nation hostage".

Eleven million people are registered to vote in the country of about 30 million.

- Poverty and anger -

Faced with a wide boycott, a strong turnout will be key for Rajoelina.

Less than 55 percent of those registered showed up for the first round of voting at the last elections in 2018.

For many in what is one of the poorest countries, politics is not a priority.

"What matters to us is first and foremost getting by on a daily basis," said Benedicte Lalaoarison, 61, an underwear seller in the Analakely market in central Antananarivo.

At a nearby newsstand, some residents looked concerned as they scanned through newspaper headlines.

"People have become aware of the dictatorship we live under," said Chrishani Andrianono, 55, complaining that after 11 years in power, Rajoelina had little to show for it.

"We do not see what he did for us."

The country has been in turmoil since media reports in June revealed Rajoelina had acquired French nationality in 2014.

Under local laws, the president should have lost Madagascan nationality, and with it, the ability to lead the country, his opponents said.

Rajoelina has denied trying to conceal his naturalisation, saying he became French to allow his children to pursue their studies abroad.

His challengers were further enraged by another ruling allowing for an ally of the president to take over the reins of the nation ad interim, after Rajoelina resigned in line with the constitution to run for re-election.

They have also complained about electoral irregularities.

Vonjisoa Tovonanahary, a 34-year-old, opposition-leaning Antananarivo resident, said some in his neighbourhood have been promised money to go and vote.

"They want to buy us," he said with a grimace. "I will follow the instructions and I will not vote."

The opposition grouping has vowed to continue protesting until a fair election is held.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc, the African Union and the European Union have sent observer missions to monitor the vote.

(S.G.Stein--BBZ)