ANTANANARIVO: The chief of Madagascar’s lower house of parliament has called for the suspension of next week’s presidential votes, following weeks of regular opposition protests and rallies.
According to AFP, Christine Razanamahasoa, who leads a negotiation group to find a solution of the political crisis that has raged for several weeks. Christine Razanamahasoa said that the present situation in Madagascar did not permit for a free and fair elections to be conducted on November 16.
The group “demands that the officials suspend the presidential elections scheduled for Thursday,” Razanamahasoa told a news conference in Antananarivo. She added this was to ensure harmony and peace in the nations, where political crisis has been running high in the run-up to the elections, which was already deferred by a week.
Madagascar: Parliamentary Chief Calls for Suspension of Election
But a spokesman for Madagascar’s outgoing president Andry Rajoelina called the appeal a “far-fetched idea”. AFP reported that the country’s laws and regulations do not provide for the “suspension” of elections and any such decision would need government endorsement. The country has been shaken by a battle between President Andry Rajoelina and most opposition leaders. The opposition leaders said that they held protest rallies against the “institutional coup” that favors the incumbent set up. The European Union (EU), and the United States (US) signed a joint statement on Thursday showing their “deep concern after the violent incidents of recent days in the country”.
