Madagascar's Rajoelina Backs Candidate for Run-Off
Madagascar strongman Andry Rajoelina has formally endorsed a candidate running against his rival's man in next month's presidential run-off, in an interview published on Saturday.
Speaking to Le Monde newspaper, Rajoelina for the first time officially gave his backing to Hery Rajaonarimampianina, whom he was widely thought to support.
Rajaonarimampianina came second in the first round on October 25 to the candidate favored by his nemesis whom he ousted from power four years ago, Marc Ravalomanana.
"For the second round, it is now clear: Hery Rajaonarimampianina is the candidate of the Rajoelina movement, the candidate of the revolution," he said.
Rajaonarimampianina won 15.93 percent of votes against 21.1 percent won by Robinson Jean Louis, the exiled Ravalomanana's candidate and the two will battle it out for the Madagascar presidency during a second round of voting on December 20.
Rajoelina waved off his candidate's lower showing, saying that he would get support of voters who had backed 10 of the 33 candidates who stood in the first round.
"Our side had 10 candidates. If you do the math, that's almost 55 percent (of the vote). The candidate whom I support will be Madagascar's new president."
Rajoelina, who has been interim leader in Madagascar after seizing power from Ravalomanana in 2009, did not rule out a future political role for himself.
"If the new president is able to calmly run the country with another prime minister, I will let them do so. But if authority is put in danger, for example by an overthrow attempt, I will always be there by the side of the Madagascan people."
Rajoelina told the newspaper that he had the 2018 presidential polls in mind, saying: "I want to come back strong, sooner or later, for the Madagascan people."
The elections in the Indian Ocean island aim to end a four-year political deadlock that ensued after Rajoelina seized power, plunging the country into a political and economic crisis.
Source: Agence France Presse
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