Polls: Madagascan head confident

2006-11-28 11:05

Antananarivo - Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana is confident of victory in the first round of presidential elections this week, says his campaigning team.

The Indian Ocean island would go to the polls on December 03 to elect a new president, and Ravalomanana, who had said the election would be free and fair, was widely expected to win.

Madagascans were hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2001 polls after a disputed result led to an eight-month political crisis that brought the island to a standstill.

Moxe Ramandimbilahatra, a top presidential adviser, said: "From now on, it is a reality that Marc Ravalomanana's victory will be won in the first round. We are not even thinking of a second round."

Soldier killed in a shootout

If none of the 14 candidates won an outright majority, voting would go to a second round between the top two hopefuls. Other candidates said they would be surprised by an early victory.

Herizo Razafimahaleo, founder of the Leader Fanilo party, said: "I have noticed a widespread discontent across the population, which wants change."

Madagascan authorities were looking for a renegade general and seven army officers suspected of involvement in a botched coup attempt and gun battle earlier this month.

One soldier was killed in a shootout at a military base after the general issued leaflets declaring an interim military regime. He had still not been found.

The world's fourth largest island and its largest vanilla producer, Madagascar, was one of the poorest countries on the globe despite its natural resources.

- Reuters