The first round of Madagascar’s presidential elections, initially scheduled for November 9, was postponed for a week, after a candidate was injured during an opposition demonstration, the country’s Supreme Constitutional Court announced Thursday.
In a statement published on the justice body’s website, cited by africanews, “the Supreme Constitutional Court, by virtue of its regulatory power, orders the postponement of the first round of the presidential elections to November 16, 2023”.
The second round of voting was held for December 20, but the election campaign, which officially began on Monday, was extended by a week.
The election, in which current president Andry Rajoelina is a candidate, has been being prepared for several weeks, in a climate that continues to deteriorate.
According to the same source, former president Marc Ravalomanana said he suffered a leg injury in early October when police and soldiers fired tear gas to disperse a meeting of his supporters and other candidates challenging the incumbent president.
The majority of those who will oppose Rajoelina at the polls, in an alliance of convenience known as the “Collective of Eleven”, have called for demonstrations almost daily since the beginning of the month. But these demonstrations were prevented by the police, who used tear gas.