High Constitutional Court chairman Jean Eric Rakotoarisoa ratifying results given by the electoral board last month has declared former leader Andry Rajoelina winner of a hard-fought presidential vote, rejecting his rival’s accusations of fraud.
Andry Rajoelina won 55.66 percent of votes versus 44.34 percent for Marc Ravalomanana.
The victory is not only mine. It is also the victory of Malagasy people,” the President-elect, a 44-year-old businessman, told jubilant supporters at his party’s headquarters.
He had ousted Marc Ravalomanana, 69, who is known as “the milkman” for his ownership of a dairy business, in a 2009 coup.
Both men said this time they would accept the outcome of the vote. However, after a Dec. 19 runoff, Ravalomanana’s team asked the court to nullify the results and submitted more than 200 complaints about balloting and vote counting.
Meanwhile European Union observers said the election was calm and they did not witness any fraud.