Madagascar's PM reappointed
2003-01-14 12:07
Antananarivo - President Marc Ravalomanana has reappointed Prime Minister Jacques Sylla after their party won an overwhelming victory in last month's legislative elections.
Ravalomanana's I Love Madagascar party won 102 of the 160 seats, according to official results announced Friday by the Constitutional Court.
The National Solidarity party, also allied with Ravalomanana, won 22 seats in the December 15 election.
Former President Didier Ratsiraka's Arema party won only three seats, a crushing defeat for the party that traditionally controlled the legislature.
More than 1 300 candidates from 40 parties contested the election in the island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa.
The court ordered new elections in four of the 160 districts because of trouble with voter registration lists and the handling of the election.
After the official results were announced, Sylla presented his resignation as prime minister on Saturday, a formality required under the constitution.
As expected, Ravalomanana reappointed him on Sunday.
The composition of the new government was expected to be announced in the coming days.
Analysts said the successful elections could help Madagascar begin to rebuild after a political crisis last year that split the country between two governments, two capitals and two presidents: Ravalomanana and Ratsiraka.
Both men claimed the presidency after a disputed December 2001 election. After months of standoff and low level fighting between their loyalists, Ratsiraka fled the country for France in June.
Ravalomanana has since cemented his power throughout the former French colony.
Parliament was scheduled to reopen on January 21. - Sapa-AP
- SAPA