Majority of voters approve new Madagascan constitution

A strong majority of voters in Madagascar approved a new constitution in last week’s referendum, according to preliminary results released Monday. The basic law was supported by 74 per cent of voters, according to the electoral commission.

Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

With 99.37 per cent of ballots counted, electoral commission chief Hery Rakatomanana said turnout for the vote on 17 November was 52.91 per cent.

The constitutional referendum was the first poll since Andry Rajoelina took over the country in an army-backed coup in March 2009, which overthrew president Marc Ravalomanana.

The constitution will allow Rajoelina to stand in presidential elections scheduled for May 2011. Municipal and parliamentary elections are to take place before – in December and March - though next month's municipal poll has been indefinitely postponed because of political and technical difficulties.

Opposition parties are boycotting the whole process, and donor countries havecriticised it as well, saying it did not represent the interests of all parties.