Madagascar: 2006 Election presidential election candidate disqualifications

Updated June 2010

Extracted from: EISA 2007 Election Observer Mission Report Presidential Elections 2006 | Mission d'observation Electorale Rapport Elections Presidentielles 2006 [PDF document], 12-13.

The EISA mission arrived in the country in late November 2006, after the nomination process for the presidential elections had taken place. The mission learnt that a total of 18 candidates had initially submitted their applications for registration to contest the December 2006 presidential polls, but on 19 October 2006 the HCC only approved a final list of 14 candidates.

The HCC disqualified four prospective candidates from standing in the presidential race for reasons ranging from non-payment of the required deposit to failure to satisfy other legal or technical requirements. This was the case of an exiled opposition leader, Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, who was not allowed to return to Madagascar before the 14 October 2006 deadline set up for the submission of candidature to contest the presidential race. His application was rejected by the HCC on a technicality related to his absence from the island, despite the fact that the application submitted by his lawyers on his behalf was complete. Rajaonarivelo was seen by many in Madagascar as the main challenger to President Ravalomanana.

It is worth mentioning that Rajaonarivelo, a former deputy prime minister under Ratsiraka, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years of hard labour for misappropriation of state funds and banned from holding public office. Rajaonarivelo had maintained his innocence, arguing that his conviction was politically motivated and taken under pressure from the government, which sought to detain him should he set foot in Madagascar. His announced return was consistently obstructed by the government by, among other measures, the closure of international airports whenever Rajaonarivelo was scheduled to fly back into the island.

The other prominent candidate barred by the HCC from standing in the December 2006 presidential poll was retired General Randrianafidiosa, commonly known as 'General Fidy'. He was disqualified for not disbursing the deposit of Ariary 25 000 000 required for registering as a presidential candidate. The HCC also barred the exiled former President Ratsiraka, who lives in France and had not been able to submit his candidacy in person as required by the law.