Former finance minister Hery Rajaonarimampianina, considered a proxy for the leader of Madagascar’s 2009 military-backed coup, was winning a presidential runoff, according to provisional results released on Friday.
Rajaonarimampianina was receiving 53.5 per cent of the ballots cast in the December 20 vote while his rival, Robinson Jean Louis, was taking 46.5 per cent, the election commission said.
Former health minister Jean Louis is considered the representative of Marc Ravalomanana, the democratically elected president ousted in the 2009 coup, which was led by the current President, Andry Rajoelina.
The coup brought political instability to the tropical island off East Africa and saw foreign aid slashed and the economy nosedive.
