Madagascar: 2023 presidential election and relations with the UK
13 candidates contested the election, including the current, and former, presidents. The country was hoping for its third peaceful election since the political crisis of 2009, when Andry Rajoelina ousted then President Marc Ravalomanana in a coup backed by the army. The 2023 election came at a time of unprecedented socio-political and economic tension, with Madagascar having faced several natural disasters and difficult economic and social conditions since the previous election. The election campaign began on 10 October, although the leading opposition candidates, known as the “Collective of Eleven”, said they would abstain from campaigning until their grievances were addressed . These grievances included demands for the disqualification of Rajoelina as a candidate due to his acquisition of dual Malagasy-French citizenship in 2014. Only Malagasy citizens may run for office and, according to Article 42 of the 1960 law on citizenship, an adult loses Malagasy citizenship if they volu...