2023-07-03 08:44:23
The formalization of the electoral calendar should take place in the coming days if we are to believe the recent statement by the President of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), Retaf Andrianarisedo Dama. The government should publish the decree convening voters no later than July 12, in accordance with the law relating to the general system of elections and referendums, providing for a period of 90 days before the first round is held.
The CENI in its proposal for an electoral calendar provides for the ballot of the first round of the presidential election for November 9 and December 16 for the second round. It is however up to the executive after the favorable opinion of the HCC to validate the calendar of the CENI and to proceed with the convocation of the voters. The President of the Republic in office, if he stands as a candidate for his own succession, must resign from his post sixty days before the date of the ballot. Andry Rajoelina will thus have to give up his apron and give way to the President of the Senate, Herimanana Razafimahefa, on 9th September next.
For the moment, the probability of holding an election without problems or controversy is very far. At the level of the CENI, the electoral list is not yet completed. This weekend, this body responsible for organizing the elections again called on voters to register on the electoral list, after a total overhaul which had to be officially completed in June. Voters will still have three days, from this Monday, to check their registrations with the fokontany. For latecomers, there is still a possibility to register for the next three days.
The crucial question, however, remains the financing of the presidential election. In the 2023 finance law, the budget entered is 40 billion Ar. A budget deemed insufficient by the CENI which has forecast a budget of 140 billion Ar. The State and the CENI are thus counting on the contribution of the usual donors in the Basket Fund to fill this gap.
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