1996 Malagasy presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 November 1996, with a second round on 29 December 1996. The election followed the impeachment of incumbent President Albert Zafy and the appointment of his interim successor, Norbert Ratsirahonana.

1996 Malagasy presidential election
3 November 1996 (first round)
29 December 1996 (second round)
 
Nominee Didier Ratsiraka Albert Zafy
Party AREMA UNDD
Popular vote 1,608,321 1,563,137
Percentage 50.71% 49.29%
President before election

Norbert Ratsirahonana
AVI

 President

Didier Ratsiraka
AREMA

Politics of Madagascar
Government
Parliament
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
    Minister: Yvette Sylla
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In the first round, former President Didier Ratsiraka took first place with 36.6% of the vote with a turnout of 58.41%.[1] However, as he failed to win more than 50% of the vote, a second round was held, in which Zafy, who had been able to run despite his impeachment, was the sole alternative.[2] LEADER-Fanilo candidate Herizo Razafimahaleo, who took third place with 15.1%, backed Ratsiraka for the second round.[3] Ratsirahonana, the acting President and Prime Minister, who stood as a candidate and received fourth place with 10.1% of the vote,[4] backed Zafy.[2]

In the second round, Ratsiraka achieved a narrow victory. On 6 January 1997, Zafy alleged that vote rigging and irregularities had occurred.[5] Final results confirming Ratsiraka's victory were announced by the High Constitutional Court on 31 January,[6] and he was sworn in on 9 February.[7]

Results
CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Didier RatsirakaAREMA1,321,38836.611,608,32150.71
Albert ZafyNational Union for Development and Democracy844,45923.391,563,13749.29
Herizo RazafimahaleoEconomic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery546,21115.13
Norbert RatsirahonanaJudged by Your Work Party365,89610.14
Richard AndriamanjatoParty of the Independence Congress of Madagascar - Renewal178,3524.94
Jean Eugène VoninahitsyIndependent100,6522.79
Alain RamarosonIndependent55,9301.55
Guy Willy RazanamasyConfederation of Civil Societies for Development42,8731.19
Jérôme Marojama RazanabahinyIndependent32,8120.91
Tovonanahary RabetsitontaAction and Reflection Group for the Development of Madagascar32,5180.90
Philippe RakotovaoIndependent28,7770.80
Evariste VazahaIndependent16,0710.45
Albert AndriamananaIndependent15,2020.42
Charles RamanantsoaIndependent15,1600.42
Désiré RakotoarijaonaIndependent13,4880.37
Total3,609,789100.003,171,458100.00
Valid votes3,609,78995.763,171,45895.79
Invalid/blank votes159,8344.24139,4444.21
Total votes3,769,623100.003,310,902100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,453,61258.416,667,19249.66
Source: EISA, Nohlen et al.[8]

References
  1. Madagascar: 1996 Presidential election results Archived 2010-09-02 at the Wayback Machine EISA
  2. Philip M. Allen, "Impeachment as Parliamentary Coup d'Etat", in Checking Executive Power: Presidential Impeachment in Comparative Perspective (2003), ed. Jody C. Baumgartner, Naoko Kada, page 91
  3. Leader Fanilo sous la IIIe République Archived 2007-10-08 at the Wayback Machine Herizo.com (in French)
  4. Rapport de la Mission d'Observation de l'Élection Présidentielle du 29 décembre 1996 (2è tour) Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine democratie.francophonie.org (in French)
  5. "Madagascar: Zafy alleges vote rigging, "irregularities" in presidential final ballot", Malagasy National Radio, Antananarivo, 6 January 1997
  6. "Madagascar: Didier Ratsiraka wins presidential election by small margin", AFP, 31 January 1997
  7. "Ratsiraka sworn in as Madagascar's new president", Television Malagasy (Antananarivo), 9 February 1997
  8. Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p544 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
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