Madagascar holds crunch run-off poll

Voting is taking place in Madagascar in a run-off election between two former presidents – Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina.

More than 10 million people are eligible to vote, but there was a 45% absentee rate in the first round of the poll on 7 November.

Mr Ravalomanana was elected in 2002 but was ousted seven years later after protests led by Mr Rajoelina, who then became president.

The two men were barred from entering the presidential race of 2013 because the international community feared it would reignite a political crisis.

During the first round of the election, Mr Rajoelina took 39% of the vote and Mr Ravalomanana 35%.

Their biggest challenge will be to convince undecided voters to turn out.

Some voters have said they are disappointed by what they feel was a lack of depth during the debates in the past two weeks.

Others have said they want to return a blank ballot paper to symbolise that voting for either candidate will make no difference.

Both men have invested a lot of money in their campaigns.

There is concern among some analysts that if the loser doesn’t accept the results, it could plunge the country into another crisis.

BBC