2006 Malagasy presidential election

none April 2026 Madagascar Presidential 2001 Malagasy presidential election 2001 3 December 2006 2013 Malagasy general election 2013 61.93% Marc Ravalomanana 2005-04-19.jpg Marc Ravalomanana Tiako i Madagasikara 2,435,199 54.79% 3x4.svg Jean Lahiniriko Independent politician 517,994 11.65% Photo de Roland Ratsiraka (cropped).jpg Roland Ratsiraka Independent politician 450,717 10.14% Herizo Razafimahaleo (Profile).jpg Herizo Razafimahaleo Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery 401,473 9.03% President Marc Ravalomanana Tiako i Madagasikara Marc Ravalomanana Tiako i Madagasikara Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 December 2006. President Marc Ravalomanana, in office since he prevailed in a dispute over election results in 2002, ran for re-election. On 9 December, Ravalomanana was declared to have won in the first round with 55% of the vote."Madagascar's president wins election" https://web.archive.org/web/20061210101503/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/09/africa/AF_POL_Madagascar_Elections.php 2006-12-10 , Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 9 December 2006. Background In May, the date of the election was moved forward to 3 December, several weeks earlier than had previously been expected. The reason given was that the earlier date could avoid having the election affected by bad weather during the rainy season; the constitutional court approved the new date, saying that it did not violate the constitution. The constitution says an election should be held between 30 and 60 days before the end of a president's mandate."Speaker eyes presidency as Iran row deepens", AFP (IOL), 11 May 2006. Many of the opposition candidates did not like the earlier date and wanted the election to be postponed;"Presidential hopefuls put their names forward", AFP (IOL), 16 October 2006. they said that the constitution required that the election not be held before 25 December. Candidates Exiled former deputy prime minister Pierrot Rajaonarivelo of the AREMA opposition party tried to run for president, and was considered Ravalomanana's main opponent,Ed Harris, "Madagascar airport shut to stop Rajaonarivelo", Reuters (IOL), 9 October 2006."Q & A: Madagascar election", BBC News Online, 1 December 2006. but he was barred from participation; he was not allowed to enter the country (on one occasion the airport at the eastern city of Toamasina was closed to keep him out, and when he tried again to enter the country he was not allowed aboard a plane in nearby Mauritius),"Hoping for fair, transparent, uncontroversial elections", IRIN, 15 November 2006. and his registration papers, which he could not sign because he was not allowed into the country, were rejected because he had not signed them himself. During his exile, Rajaonarivelo was convicted of misuse of funds, and he could be arrested if he returns to Madagascar. Fourteen other presidential candidates were approved on 18 October, while three others were rejected for not paying a required deposit."Madagascar court rejects polls challenger, clears 14", afrol News, 20 October 2006."14 candidats autorisés à se présenter à la présidentielle", AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), 18 October 2006. Aside from Ravalomanana, presidential candidates included former deputy prime minister Herizo Razafimahaleo, former prime minister and acting president Norbert Ratsirahonana, Roland Ratsiraka, nephew of former president Didier Ratsiraka and mayor of Toamasina,"So far, so good in presidential election", IRIN, 4 December 2006. and Jean Lahiniriko, who was Speaker of the National Assembly from 2003 until earlier in 2006. One woman also ran for president, Elia Ravelomanantsoa. In mid-November, retired general Andrianafidisoa, commonly known as Fidy, whose candidacy had been rejected for failing to pay the deposit, had leaflets distributed announcing a military takeover; describing Ravalomanana's government as unconstitutional, he called for the military to support him. This led to a clash at a military base in which one soldier was reported killed, and Ravalomanana's plane, carrying him back to Madagascar, had to be diverted from the capital, Antananarivo, to another part of the country."Retired Madagascar army general calls for military support against president", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 18 November 2006.Johnny Hogg, "Madagascar general urges overthrow", BBC News, 18 November 2006."Attempted "coup" fizzles in desire for peaceful poll", IRIN, 20 November 2006. Subsequently the situation was described as calm and without any sign of a military takeover. A warrant for Fidy's arrest was issued, and Fidy subsequently denied that there had been a coup attempt, calling that a misinterpretation. On 22 November Fidy received the backing of most of the presidential candidates, who said he was defending the constitution and the interests of the nation."Support for Madagascar 'coup bid'", BBC News, 23 November 2006."Madagascar: 11 candidats de l'opposition jugent légitime l'action du général "Fidy"" https://web.archive.org/web/20061123102509/http://www.jeuneafrique.com/fluxafp/fil_info.asp?reg_id=0&art_cle=33243 2006-11-23 , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), 22 November 2006 fr. A few days after the election, the government unsuccessfully attempted to arrest one of the candidates who backed Fidy, Pety Rakotoniaina, the mayor of Fianarantsoa."Madagascar tries to arrest opposition politician, offers bounty for attempted coup leader", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 7 December 2006. The government denied that this was because of his support for Fidy and accused him of other crimes,"Madagascar Issues Arrest Warrant for Opposition Candidate", Voice of America, 7 December 2006. including holding an illegal gathering the day before the election, after the end of campaigning. Fidy was captured on 12 December;Alain Iloniaina, "Madagascar captures renegade general "Fidy"" https://web.archive.org/web/20120304023842/http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1165995901478B253 4 March 2012 , Reuters (IOL), 13 December 2006. Rakotoniaina was not captured until July 2007."Pety Rakotoniaina; Fin de l’épisode, après 7 mois de cavale", Madagascar Tribune, N° 5611, 20 July 2007 fr. Results Results from the capital Antananarivo, Ravalomanana's main support base, were reported first, and they showed Ravalomanana with 70% of the vote. Challengers Norbert Ratsirahonana and Herizo Razafimahaleo had 11% and 7% of the vote respectively;"Ravalomanana ahead in Malagasy polls", Reuters (IOL), 4 December 2006. Roland Ratsiraka had about 5%. Subsequent results from almost 14% of polling stations gave Ravalomanana 66%; Ratsiraka held second place with 9% while Razafimahaleo and Ratsirahonana had 7%."Madagascar poll gets thumbs up" https://web.archive.org/web/20070113031147/http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2040509,00.html 2007-01-13 , Reuters (News24.com), 5 December 2006. Results from 77% of polling stations showed Ravalomanana with 57% of the vote and Ratsiraka in second place with 10%. On 8 December, with votes counted from 82% of polling stations, counting was temporarily suspended due to electrical power problems."Madagascar halts vote counting due to technical problems", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 8 December 2006. On 9 December, with votes counted from 96% of polling stations, Ravalomanana had 55% of the vote and was declared the winner. Jean Lahiniriko was in second place with 11%. Ballot papers for the candidates Monja Roindefo, Philippe Tsiranana, Ferdinand Razakarimanana, and Manandafy Rakotonirina were not available at polling stations."Début du vote pour la présidentielle malgache"April 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes , African Press Agency, 3 December 2006 fr. They had not met the 29 October deadline for submitting the papers and, although they tried to submit them afterward, the government refused to accept them and said that anyone who attempted to distribute ballot papers to polling stations on the day of the election would be arrested."Madagascar : 5 presidential candidates ruled out"April 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes , African Press Agency, 17 November 2006. According to results released by the Interior Ministry of Madagascar on 10 December, a total of 61% of the country's registered 7.3 million voters went to the polling stations, giving Ravalomanana 55% of the vote, 12% for Jean Lahiniriko,Official results from the Madagascar Interior Ministry (in French) https://web.archive.org/web/20061213124721/http://www.mira.gov.mg/election/resultatelection.php 2006-12-13 ."Madagascar leader is re-elected", BBC News, 10 December 2006."Ravalomanana likely to win presidential election" https://web.archive.org/web/20120220193110/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=62418 2012-02-20 , IRIN, 11 December 2006. 10% for Roland Ratsiraka, and 9% for Razafimahaleo. The figures still needed to be confirmed by the Constitutional High Court to be official. Lahiniriko's campaign director called the results false and said that Ravalomanana had only received about 49%;Madagascar re-elects president 11 December 2006 news.com.au http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20906574-1702,00.html dead https://archive.today/20070728091913/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20906574-1702,00.html 28 July 2007 both Lahiniriko and Ratsiraka said that they were challenging the official results in court.Jonny Hogg, "Opposition to Challenge Madagascar Vote"February 2026 medicmedic, Associated Press (Sfgate.com), 11 December 2006. On 23 December the Constitutional High Court confirmed that Ravalomanana won the election with 55% of the vote. The final official results gave Lahiniriko 12% and Ratsiraka 10%."Madagascar court confirms Ravalomanana's poll win", Reuters (The Peninsula, Qatar), 24 December 2006."Madagascar confirms poll result", BBC News, 23 December 2006. Ravalomanana was sworn in for his second term on 19 January 2007."Ravalomanana swears in as Malagasy President" https://web.archive.org/web/20120331230249/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/20/content_5628465.htm 2012-03-31 , Xinhua, 19 January 2007. Marc Ravalomanana Tiako i Madagasikara 2435199 Jean Lahiniriko Independent 517994 Roland Ratsiraka Independent 450717 Herizo Razafimahaleo LEADER–Fanilo 401473 Norbert Ratsirahonana Judged by Your Work Party 187552 Ny Hasina Andriamanjato Independent 185624 Elia Ravelomanantsoa Our Madagascar 113897 Pety Rakotoniaina Union 74566 Jules Randrianjoary Independent 33463 Daniel Rajakoba Fihavanantsika 28363 Manandafy Rakotonirina Movement for the Progress of Madagascar 14712 Philippe Tsiranana Independent 1128 Ferdinand Razakarimanana Independent 41 Roindefo Monja Independent 21 87196 7317790 African Elections Database References Madagascar Presidential election Category:Presidential elections in Madagascar Madagascar Category:December 2006 elections