Title: Madagascar: a presidential campaign under tension
Introduction :
The electoral campaign for the presidential election in Madagascar is underway, but it is marked by high tensions. Eleven of the thirteen candidates in the running denounced unequal treatment on the part of the public authorities. Opposition demonstrations were violently repressed, sparking outrage from Western embassies and the United Nations. In this tense context, the outgoing president and candidate for re-election, Andry Rajoelina, is at the center of all attention. He agreed to answer questions from RFI and France 24 to give his vision of the situation.
Criticisms and controversies:
The electoral campaign was boycotted by eleven of the thirteen candidates, who denounced a “tense political climate”. They believe they cannot demonstrate peacefully while the outgoing president can carry out his campaign without hindrance. Andry Rajoelina refutes these accusations of “double standards” and affirms that all candidates have the right to express themselves freely. He denounces the opposition’s maneuvers aimed at preventing the holding of elections to establish a political transition, a practice which according to him has already caused significant damage in the country in the past.
The question of nationality:
Another controversy concerns the nationality of Andry Rajoelina. In 2014, he obtained French nationality, which according to Malagasy law results in the loss of Malagasy nationality. The opposition questions his candidacy based on this legal element. However, the outgoing president assures that dual nationality is accepted by the Malagasy Nationality Code and that the High Constitutional Court has validated his candidacy. He believes that this argument from the opposition is unfounded and points out that other heads of state, such as Shimon Peres, Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama, also have foreign origins without this being a problem.
Conclusion :
The electoral campaign for the presidential election in Madagascar is marked by strong tensions and controversies. Outgoing President Andry Rajoelina finds himself at the heart of criticism from the opposition, who denounces unequal treatment and questions his candidacy because of his French nationality. Despite these controversies, the country aspires to political stability and democratic elections. The future of Madagascar is decided at the polls and the voters will have the last word.