The Malagasy select on Wednesday a new President. In one of the poorest countries in the world especially in the money will determine the outcome of the elections. The programs of the candidates hardly differ from each other.
When it comes to this passers-by in the capital, Antananarivo’t need to make the choice in the first place is to take place: “it is useless,” he says of the DW. “I’ve seen several presidents come and go, you have a lot of promised, which you have not held.” He will not go to choose: “I see the candidates, to build us castles in the air. And I see no evidence that they will achieve those dreams.”
As many people think. The political apathy is large, Madagascar in a desolate location. Since its independence in 1960, the country has not been able to escape poverty. Despite a relatively peaceful history without citizens, the gross domestic product per capita declined in wars almost continuously. On the human development Index of the United Nations, Madagascar ranks in the lower quarter, nine out of ten people live below the poverty line. The predominantly rural population, there is a lack of perspectives, poverty promotes crime. “The poor security situation poisoned the life and the business climate. Poverty and corruption, regularly lead to disasters “, says the political activist Roméo Razafintsalam.
One of the most expensive election campaigns in the world
36 candidates are running for the highest public office – almost exclusively men, including several former heads of state and government. Marcus Schneider, head of the Malagasy office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, speaks of the “election of the century”: “for the First time, four Ex-presidents competing against each other and three former Prime Ministers,” says Schneider Interview in the DW. Among the promising candidate of the outgoing President Héry Rajaonarimampianina and his immediate predecessor, Andry Rajoelina. Both have called their campaign “rise”. Also Rajoelinas predecessor, Marc Ravalomanana, Rajoelina in 2009, the office staged a coup, is considered to be promising. His Motto: “Never give up!”.
Residents of Manjakaray, a poor district of the capital, Antananarivo, to make the election campaign for Ex-Minister of education Paul Rabary
Great words you have for how you want to reduce the suffering of the population. But above all, they have money. You must also in the apparently most expensive election campaign in the world. A study commissioned by the European Union after the elections of 2013 came to the conclusion that the leading Malagasy candidates spending more money per achieved vote than even in the US. In 2018, the race for the highest office is likely to be similarly expensive. “The Deposit, the need to place the candidate behind, with 25,000 euros, is expensive,” says Salomon Ravelontsalama, of the daily newspaper La Gazette de la Grande Ile. “But this is nothing in comparison to the total expenditure of the election campaign of the candidates, which are often in the tens of millions.”
Big words, little deeds
A study by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung assumes that at the end of the Budget of the candidates decides the outcome of the election. So the election campaign period – 30 days for the first round to be measured, seven days for the possible runoff election – extremely scarce. The country is larger than France, but the roads are often in terrible condition. Anyone who wants to gain notoriety around the country, is to rely on aircraft and helicopters – and on a strong Team that supports the work on site and campaign appearances prepared. The local elites would auction off their support to the highest bidder, according to the study.
Breakfast can afford this Malagasy people, but the country is one of the poorest in the world
Programmatic differences there are, however, few. It’s all about clean drinking water, schools and jobs, the fight against corruption, incentives for investors. However, none of the three leading candidates has achieved in its previous time in Power visible improvements in these areas. Also, in addition, they are not Profiles of the Top three clearly distinguishable. In the last elections, the turnout was low. In the 2015 municipal elections, 30 percent of the choice is not made once authorized in the capital cast their votes on the country, there were even less.
The fight against poverty and exploitation
Yet so disillusioned, as the population, so fiercely fight the politicians for supremacy. It is a smoldering crisis, which is escalating regularly, if elections are pending. In April, the opposition called on the Alliance to demonstrations against the policies of President Rajaonarimampianina. He wanted to get with a new electoral law benefits the accused. The Unity of the Challenger Rajoelina and Ravalomanana surprised, had urged the Former to the Latter out of the office and into the year long exile.
In June, the population gave vent to their frustration in protests in the streets Antanarivos – and reached new elections
Who does at the end of the race, will have a series of challenges – above all, the eradication of poverty and the exploitation of natural resources and raw materials by a small Elite, which contributes to the further impoverishment. Marcus Schneider of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, is skeptical whether it will succeed. “The main problem is that the profiteers of the illegal exploitation of the resources have political relations”, said Schneider. A President who wanted to create a reversal of the trend, it must attack the networks of the Powerful. “The big question is whether Madagascar gets a President who has the necessary Power to do so – and also has interest in it.”
Andry Rajoelina about running the most expensive campaign in the country. How did he take his resources, was unclear. “It is to be feared that he would try to an election victory, this funding to recoup.” For the development of the country, this is not conducive to.
Employees: Rémy Mallet, Prisca Rakotomalala