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Madagascar on Monday held parliamentary elections as part of what is seen as the last round of a fierce rivalry between President Andry Rajoelina and his longtime rival, Marc Ravalomanana.
Defeated at the top in December, Ravalomanana backed the candidates of his party TIM ("I Love Madagascar"), determined to win a victory in his rivalry with President Rajoelina.
Both men have dominated politics since the early 2000s, sometimes cooperating but struggling primarily for the benefit and high function.
"These elections will define our future for the next five years," said Rajoelina after voting in Antananarivo, the capital.
"The candidates who will be elected MPs have the duty not only to pbad laws, but also to represent the aspirations of the people."
Ravalomanana also voted in the capital and raised allegations of fraud during the presidential election last December.
"People are less enthusiastic to vote because of the fraud already noted in previous elections," he said.
Two months of street protests
Electoral posters were stuck on the walls of Antananarivo. During the election campaign, loudspeaker trucks pbaded convoys and supporters distributed t-shirts to their candidates.
But the turnout could be low, with few queues at polling stations.
The vote took place after a further crisis of instability in Madagascar, which saw Rajoelina and Ravalomanana put aside their differences last year to oppose the new election laws introduced by the president of the country. Era, Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
After two months of street protests, the government fell and Rajaonarimampianina found himself in third position behind the presidential election.
"I was disappointed that the leader of our party did not win the presidential election, but this defeat motivated us to win the majority in the badembly," said the candidate's TIM, businessman Feno Ralambomanana.
"We need a majority to ensure stability and avoid a political war over the next five years," said Rajoelina's candidate, Aina Rafenomanantsoa, known as Anyah.
"The Malagasy do not need to do it again."
It is far from certain that Monday's vote will bring stability: of the 800 candidates for the 151 seats in the Assembly, nearly 500 are independent.
"Independent candidates could win many seats (…) because many voters want to break control of the Rajoelina and Ravalomanana camps," political badyst Tohavina Ralambomahay told AFP.
"If there are too many independents in the badembly, it will create changing majorities that will in turn generate corruption and political instability."
Allegations of corruption
The campaign has been overshadowed in recent days by allegations of corruption against more than half of the outgoing MPs.
The anti-corruption bureau handed prosecutors a list of 79 deputies who allegedly accepted bribes worth 12,500 euros ($ 14,000) to vote in favor of Rajaonarimampianina's electoral law.
Rajoelina and Ravalomanana both promised voters to put an end to these practices.
According to data from the World Bank, the former French colony is well known for its vanilla and precious redwood. It is yet one of the poorest countries in the world, with 76% of people living in extreme poverty.
The island, which is also renowned for its unique wildlife, depends on foreign aid and has a long history of blows and disturbances.
Election results are not expected for at least two weeks.
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