Madagascar - May 2024
Incumbent coalition loses parliamentary majority according to provisional election results
On 29 May, Madagascar held legislative elections for 163 members of the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the country’s parliament. According to provisional results released by the electoral commission (Madagascar’s electoral commission (Commission électorale nationale indépendante), CENI), the incumbent coalition led by President Andry Rajoelina, Ttogether with President Andry Rajoelina (Isika rehetra miaraka amin'i Andry Rajoelina, IRMAR), won 80 seats, two short of an absolute majority in the chamber. The main opposition coalition, Firaisankina, won 24 seats, with smaller parties and 52 independents winning the remainder. Eighty of the 473 candidates (17 per cent) who contested the elections are women. Voter turnout was reported to be 48.03 per cent% of registered voters. The provisional results still need to be certified by the High Constitutional Court (Haute Cour Constitutionnelle, HCC), which must first rule on the approximately 100 legal challenges that have been lodged by candidates. International observers noted reports of candidate intimidation, exclusionary administrative and political measures (e.g. candidates being denied tax certificates needed for registration), and the unlawful closure of radio stations. They concluded, however, that the elections had been calm and peaceful.
Update: The final election results were certified by the High Constitutional Court on 27 June 2024. It declared IRMAR to have won 84 seats, giving President Rajoelina’s coalition an absolute majority in the National Assembly. Independent candidates won 50 seats and the Firaisankina coalition, 22. Twenty-six women were elected.
Sources: Commission électorale nationale indépendante (1) Le Monde (1), Le Monde (2), Commission électorale nationale indépendante (2) African Union, Southern African Development Community, Jeune Afrique, Inter-Parliamentary Union
