Madagascar vote results trickle in

Madagascar began announcing results in dribs and drabs Saturday after its first post-coup presidential elections, with only 52 polling stations out of 20,001 reported in the morning, AFP reports. "Results will only really start arriving later in the day," said election commission (Cenit) spokeswoman Valerie Andrianavalona. "Checking the results takes time," she told AFP, adding final results would probably only be available in a week. A Western election observer said the delay was not abnormal. "At the moment I'm not worried. It's to be expected that there's nothing on the day after the polls," he said. "If it takes longer than a week, then yes, I'd be concerned." The Indian Ocean island voted Friday to end a four-year political deadlock after strongman Andry Rajoelina ousted Marc Ravalomanana in an army-backed coup. International observers said the polls went well, despite isolated incidents of violence, with fewer organisational problems than expected. Between 50 and 60 percent of registered voters cast their ballot, according to the Cenit. Analysts and observers told AFP that none of the 33 candidates would win an outright majority, and that a second round of voting is likely to be held with legislative polls on December 20.

Madagascar began announcing results in dribs and drabs Saturday after its first post-coup presidential elections, with only 52 polling stations out of 20,001 reported in the morning, AFP reports. "Results will only really start arriving later in the day," said election commission (Cenit) spokeswoman Valerie Andrianavalona. "Checking the results takes time," she told AFP, adding final results would probably only be available in a week. A Western election observer said the delay was not abnormal. "At the moment I'm not worried. It's to be expected that there's nothing on the day after the polls," he said. "If it takes longer than a week, then yes, I'd be concerned." The Indian Ocean island voted Friday to end a four-year political deadlock after strongman Andry Rajoelina ousted Marc Ravalomanana in an army-backed coup. International observers said the polls went well, despite isolated incidents of violence, with fewer organisational problems than expected. Between 50 and 60 percent of registered voters cast their ballot, according to the Cenit. Analysts and observers told AFP that none of the 33 candidates would win an outright majority, and that a second round of voting is likely to be held with legislative polls on December 20.

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