Madagascar’s top court has ordered that presidential elections be postponed by one week, amid high political tensions after disputes over the regularity of the vote.
For more than a week, opposition parties have held demonstrations against what they call an “institutional coup” to keep outgoing president Andry Rajoelina in power.
“The Constitutional Court, by virtue of its regulatory power, orders the postponement of the first round of the presidential election to November 16, 2023,” the court wrote in a ruling.
Voters in the Indian Ocean island nation were initially due to head to the polls on November 9.
Protests
The ruling follows an appeal filed by a presidential candidate, who was injured at one of the protest rallies that have routinely been dispersed by police.
Andry Raobelina had asked for the vote to be postponed citing “force majeure” after he suffered a face injury as police fired tear gas on demonstrators earlier this month.
He later sought medical attention in the nearby island of Mauritius.
The court dismissed his appeal, saying the risk of injury was foreseeable as the protest had not been authorised but moved the day of the vote in any case.
This was in line with constitutional principles aimed at guaranteeing fair, transparent and peaceful elections, including the granting of equal opportunities to all candidates, the judges wrote.
