Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ANTANANARIVO1440
2006-12-26 10:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Antananarivo
Cable title:
HIGH COURT OFFICIALLY DECLARES RAVALOMANANA VICTORY
how-toVZCZCXRO3673 OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHAN #1440 3601050 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 261050Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY ANTANANARIVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4090 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0775 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION
UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001440
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA
SUBJECT: HIGH COURT OFFICIALLY DECLARES RAVALOMANANA VICTORY
REFTEL: ANTANANARIVO 1432 AND PREVIOUS
UNCLAS ANTANANARIVO 001440
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA
SUBJECT: HIGH COURT OFFICIALLY DECLARES RAVALOMANANA VICTORY
REFTEL: ANTANANARIVO 1432 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) As expected reftel, on December 23 the High Constitutional
Court (HCC) declared Marc Ravalomanana the first round winner of the
presidential election with 54.79 percent of the vote. In its decree
the HCC also confirmed that in addition to Ravalomanana, Jean
Lahiniriko (second place with 11.65 percent) and Roland Ratsiraka
(third place with 10.14 percent) would be reimbursed their deposits
for candidature (By law, candidates obtaining more than 10 percent
are refunded). Lahiniriko and Ratsiraka, as well as fourth place
Herizo Razafimahaleo, were notably absent from the ceremony; media
reported Herizo sent a representative. Opposition candidates
Manandafy Rakotonirina, Ny Hasina Andriamanjato, Pastor Jules
Randrianjoary and Elia Ravelomanantsoa attended.
2. (U) In its 25 page proclamation, the HCC addressed numerous
formal complaints made by or on behalf of several of the opposition
candidates. In addition to detailed legal rulings on each
complaint, the HCC stated in general that most requests had been
determined to be "unfounded" upon investigation. A few complaints
were also ruled to not have standing ("irrecevable") with the HCC.
3. (U) The HCC's report also included a final tabulation of
electoral irregularities. The results from two polling stations,
with a total of 261 votes, were discarded for incorrect vote
tabulation and for the incompetence of the voting bureau president.
Additionally, only partial results were registered from another 22
polling stations due to various deficiencies on election day. These
polling stations had a total of 9,000 registered voters (of a
national total of 7.3 million registered). The burning of ballot
boxes and electoral lists at three polling stations in Tulear was
the cause behind more than half of the 9,000 lost or compromised
votes. The HCC also confirmed that results broken down by polling
station were available to the public for candidates and observers to
crosscheck with tallies from December 3.
4. (SBU) International observers, including the National Democratic
Institute, commended the HCC for the timely and professional report
of official results. Improved transparency at the 116 regional
voting centers was also attributed to HCC pressure. Electoral
disputes were handled adequately, though substantial confusion
remains. In particular, campaign and electoral list complaints were
not addressed by the HCC as these areas are the purview of the
quasi-independent National Electoral Commission (CNE) and the
Interior Ministry. In addition to the obvious result of lending
more credibility to the election process, a truly independent future
CNE would be expected to more effectively settle electoral disputes.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: The December 3 election and December 23
announcement date were masterfully timed at the nadir of Malagasy
political interest during the holiday season. The opposition
candidates' calls for public outcry are falling on deaf ears.
Malagasy voters want stability above all else and at the moment they
have it. A simple slogan is circulating Madagascar, "Aiza
mamerim-bola," -- Where's my change? The connotation is that
Ravalomanana's supporters "paid" by voting for him; soon they expect
something in return.
6. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: With 2.4 million votes for 54.79
percent of the total for Ravalomanana, it would take 180,000 votes
to invalidate the President's absolute majority and first-round
victory. This would be equal to more than a third of the total
votes won by any of his challengers. Though imperfect, the election
reflected the will of the Malagasy people. In the near term, a
single ballot and a genuinely independent CNE must be instituted to
bring the process up to international norms. In the longer term,
civic education and political party development are needed to create
conditions for a more sophisticated democracy that better serves the
interests of Madagascar. END COMMENT.
McGee
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/FO, INR/AA, AND DRL
PARIS FOR D'ELIA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM EAID PHUM PINR MA
SUBJECT: HIGH COURT OFFICIALLY DECLARES RAVALOMANANA VICTORY
REFTEL: ANTANANARIVO 1432 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) As expected reftel, on December 23 the High Constitutional
Court (HCC) declared Marc Ravalomanana the first round winner of the
presidential election with 54.79 percent of the vote. In its decree
the HCC also confirmed that in addition to Ravalomanana, Jean
Lahiniriko (second place with 11.65 percent) and Roland Ratsiraka
(third place with 10.14 percent) would be reimbursed their deposits
for candidature (By law, candidates obtaining more than 10 percent
are refunded). Lahiniriko and Ratsiraka, as well as fourth place
Herizo Razafimahaleo, were notably absent from the ceremony; media
reported Herizo sent a representative. Opposition candidates
Manandafy Rakotonirina, Ny Hasina Andriamanjato, Pastor Jules
Randrianjoary and Elia Ravelomanantsoa attended.
2. (U) In its 25 page proclamation, the HCC addressed numerous
formal complaints made by or on behalf of several of the opposition
candidates. In addition to detailed legal rulings on each
complaint, the HCC stated in general that most requests had been
determined to be "unfounded" upon investigation. A few complaints
were also ruled to not have standing ("irrecevable") with the HCC.
3. (U) The HCC's report also included a final tabulation of
electoral irregularities. The results from two polling stations,
with a total of 261 votes, were discarded for incorrect vote
tabulation and for the incompetence of the voting bureau president.
Additionally, only partial results were registered from another 22
polling stations due to various deficiencies on election day. These
polling stations had a total of 9,000 registered voters (of a
national total of 7.3 million registered). The burning of ballot
boxes and electoral lists at three polling stations in Tulear was
the cause behind more than half of the 9,000 lost or compromised
votes. The HCC also confirmed that results broken down by polling
station were available to the public for candidates and observers to
crosscheck with tallies from December 3.
4. (SBU) International observers, including the National Democratic
Institute, commended the HCC for the timely and professional report
of official results. Improved transparency at the 116 regional
voting centers was also attributed to HCC pressure. Electoral
disputes were handled adequately, though substantial confusion
remains. In particular, campaign and electoral list complaints were
not addressed by the HCC as these areas are the purview of the
quasi-independent National Electoral Commission (CNE) and the
Interior Ministry. In addition to the obvious result of lending
more credibility to the election process, a truly independent future
CNE would be expected to more effectively settle electoral disputes.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: The December 3 election and December 23
announcement date were masterfully timed at the nadir of Malagasy
political interest during the holiday season. The opposition
candidates' calls for public outcry are falling on deaf ears.
Malagasy voters want stability above all else and at the moment they
have it. A simple slogan is circulating Madagascar, "Aiza
mamerim-bola," -- Where's my change? The connotation is that
Ravalomanana's supporters "paid" by voting for him; soon they expect
something in return.
6. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: With 2.4 million votes for 54.79
percent of the total for Ravalomanana, it would take 180,000 votes
to invalidate the President's absolute majority and first-round
victory. This would be equal to more than a third of the total
votes won by any of his challengers. Though imperfect, the election
reflected the will of the Malagasy people. In the near term, a
single ballot and a genuinely independent CNE must be instituted to
bring the process up to international norms. In the longer term,
civic education and political party development are needed to create
conditions for a more sophisticated democracy that better serves the
interests of Madagascar. END COMMENT.
McGee