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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Madagascar leader ahead in vote | Madagascar leader ahead in vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Madagascar leader Marc Ravalomanana is set to be comfortably re-elected, official preliminary results from the country's presidential poll suggest. | |
| Results from voting centres in the capital area gave him 70% of votes. | Results from voting centres in the capital area gave him 70% of votes. |
| His nearest rival, former Prime Minister Norbert Lala Ratsirahonan, was credited with 10%. | His nearest rival, former Prime Minister Norbert Lala Ratsirahonan, was credited with 10%. |
| In the last poll, in 2001, the island nation was pushed to the brink of civil war after then-incumbent Didier Ratsiraka refused to accept defeat. | In the last poll, in 2001, the island nation was pushed to the brink of civil war after then-incumbent Didier Ratsiraka refused to accept defeat. |
| Eventually, Mr Ratsiraka and many of his ministers went into exile in France and Marc Ravalomanana took over. | Eventually, Mr Ratsiraka and many of his ministers went into exile in France and Marc Ravalomanana took over. |
| Photo choice | Photo choice |
| Mr Ravalomanana, a charismatic dairy tycoon known as "the milkman", needs to win 50% of the vote to avoid a second round run-off against any of the 13 other contenders. | Mr Ravalomanana, a charismatic dairy tycoon known as "the milkman", needs to win 50% of the vote to avoid a second round run-off against any of the 13 other contenders. |
| Voters in the capital queued in torrential rainVoting started slowly with people queuing in torrential rain in the capital, Antananarivo. They were asked to choose a card with a photograph of their preferred candidate. | Voters in the capital queued in torrential rainVoting started slowly with people queuing in torrential rain in the capital, Antananarivo. They were asked to choose a card with a photograph of their preferred candidate. |
| Bad weather caused power cuts in some areas, forcing officials to start counting ballots by candlelight. | Bad weather caused power cuts in some areas, forcing officials to start counting ballots by candlelight. |
| Reuters news agency reported that voters burnt a ballot box in the coastal town of Toliara. | Reuters news agency reported that voters burnt a ballot box in the coastal town of Toliara. |
| More than 14,000 observers were overseeing the vote. Some had warned of possible fraud. | More than 14,000 observers were overseeing the vote. Some had warned of possible fraud. |
| Mr Ravalomanana had promised the ballot would be a model of democracy and transparency for Africa and the world. | Mr Ravalomanana had promised the ballot would be a model of democracy and transparency for Africa and the world. |
| Q&A: Madagascar election "You know very well that it is a challenge for us to hold free, democratic and transparent elections," he told journalists after casting his ballot at a local school. | Q&A: Madagascar election "You know very well that it is a challenge for us to hold free, democratic and transparent elections," he told journalists after casting his ballot at a local school. |
| There was considerable controversy in the build-up to the poll with accusations of unfair access to the media and unconstitutional electoral process. | There was considerable controversy in the build-up to the poll with accusations of unfair access to the media and unconstitutional electoral process. |
| An election observer told the BBC that ballot sheets for four of the candidates had not arrived at a substantial number of polling stations across the country. | An election observer told the BBC that ballot sheets for four of the candidates had not arrived at a substantial number of polling stations across the country. |
| When asked about it before the election, President Ravalomanana told the BBC he was not personally responsible and did not see it as a serious problem. | When asked about it before the election, President Ravalomanana told the BBC he was not personally responsible and did not see it as a serious problem. |
| The vice prime minister from the former regime, Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, was stopped from returning to the country to enter the race and an army general whose candidature was refused attempted a military overthrow. | The vice prime minister from the former regime, Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, was stopped from returning to the country to enter the race and an army general whose candidature was refused attempted a military overthrow. |