Madagascar: Electoral Commission declares Andry Rajoelina winner of Presidential election

Madagascar’s Electoral Commission has declared Andry Rajoelina as winner of the Country’s runoff presidential election.

The result of the poll was released on Thursday by the electoral commission. Rajoelina won 55.66 percent of the vote compared to 44.34 percent for rival candidate, Mac Ravalomanana,

Soon after the announcement was made, Marc Ravalomanana’s team sought a cancellation of the poll result in a filing with the High Constitutional Court. The Court has nine days to decide whether to confirm the provisional results.

The two ex-presidents – Ravalomanana and the man who ousted him in a 2009 coup had previously said they would accept the results, raising hopes of a peaceful outcome and no repeat of the political chaos seen nearly a decade ago.