The news in Madagascar was marked at the start of the week by a new march by the “collective of 11” in Antananarivo. The presidential candidates have promised that the protests will intensify in the days to come. However, tension increased slightly this Monday morning when supporters of Andry Rajoelina invaded the scene of the opposition demonstration.
The opposition supporters had met at the Ampasapito roundabout, but were confronted by a few dozen orange activists, the color of Andry Rajoelina’s party. The latter were present to support their candidate and campaign. Despite this provocation, the march took place generally calmly, although there were a few altercations during the meeting between the two parties.
The collective of 11, which demands free, transparent elections accepted by all, does not intend to abandon its fight. They believe that the regime in place does not take their demands into account, and also denounce the HCC’s support for candidate no. 3. They also call on the armed forces to take responsibility in the current crisis.
This demonstration could be the prelude to an escalation of tensions in the days to come. The collective of 11 announced its intention to take over the Place du 13-Mai, a strong symbol of the protest in Madagascar. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and what future actions the collective and the government will take.
It is important to note that this demonstration reflects the divisions that persist in the country as the presidential elections approach. The different candidates are competing to attract voters and political tensions remain high. It is therefore up to the authorities to demonstrate calm and find peaceful solutions to guarantee fair and democratic elections in Madagascar.