Madagascar's Rajoelina Declared Winner of Presidential Election

(Bloomberg) -- Madagascar’s electoral authorities declared Andry Rajoelina the provisional winner of this month’s presidential vote in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Rajoelina, who’s been Madagascar’s president once before, obtained 55.66 percent of the vote against Marc Ravalomanana, another former head of state with 44.34 percent, the electoral commission announced Thursday. The High Constitutional Court has nine days to confirm the results after carrying out checks and hearing appeals.

Of the two contenders, only Rajoelina attended the commission’s announcement. Turnout in the Dec. 19 runoff vote was about 48 percent.

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