In Madagascar, the day of municipal and communal elections – the last vote in a cycle of three elections in one year – ended peacefully yesterday across the island. From the end of the afternoon, at 5 p.m., the polling stations were filled again with sympathizers, voters or simply curious people, who came to experience the atmosphere of the vote counting for the last time. But without the excitement of previous elections.
2 mins
with our correspondent in Antananarivo, Sarah Tétaud
“ It is 5 p.m., voting is closed at office number 9 », Announces the president of one of the 16 CEG offices in Nanisana. Around her, the accessors put themselves in battle order. Opening of the ballot box, counting of the ballots, then finally comes the long-awaited moment.
“ Number 2! Number 4! Number 7! Number 4! »
On the blackboard, an assessor notes the results with chalk.
The room gradually fills up. Landry and his wife came with their son. “ We brought the little one because we want to familiarize him with how the electoral process works.. »
Lalax comes out of an office, smile on his face. He came with his family and his neighbors, he explains, to support “his” candidate and at the same time to watch what is happening, to be clear about it…
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Because this is the primary reason for the majority of citizens who came out last night.
This voter is very suspicious. “ What has been happening since the presidential election is that the results are rigged. Bulletins are changed at night. So we came to take photos of the results in each polling station: this is our only power if we have to denounce something in the coming days. »
Nirina, for her part, confides that she no longer believes in any political figure in Madagascar. “ There are too many Mi’kmaq during elections like this. If I voted, it’s only because I know that if I don’t come, someone can take the opportunity to sign in my place. »
The disgust apparently affected other citizens. At the Nanisana CEG, in all 16 offices, the participation rate does not reach 30%.
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Tsiry tries to analyze the results: “ According to the trends I observe in the offices, it is the opposition which is in the lead. For me it is a sanction vote. There is discontent expressed against the regime, against the harshness of life, load shedding, unemployment, all that. »
The reports were transferred to the processing centers (SRMV). The Ceni should announce the provisional results before Christmas.