Madagascar postpones constitutional referendum

Madagascar’s electoral board on Tuesday announced that a constitutional referendum scheduled for August 12 was postponed indefinitely for lack of a new constitution draft.

The board chairperson, Hery Rakotomanana, explained that the transitional administration’s electoral code stipulates that the referendum campaign should last 45 days.

With the vote on a new constitution initially slated for August 12 by the Indian Ocean island’s leader, Andry Rajoelina, the campaign needed to have started on June 28, he said.

Yet no new constitution draft was prepared amid a complete deadlock in internationally sponsored talks between opposition parties and Rajoelina, who seized power with the army’s backing in March 2009.

On May 12, the 36-year-old Rajoelina—a former disc jockey and mayor of Antananarivo—outlined a roadmap meant to end the political crisis.

A national dialogue scheduled for late May and due to serve as a forum to draft a new constitution never took place.

A new constitution was a prerequisite for legislative elections Rajoelina had said should take place on September 30.—AFP