Madagascar’s Defence Minister, General Beni Xavier Rasolofonirina on Thursday threatened to deploy security forces if the government and opposition failed to resolve a crisis sparked by controversial election laws.

His warning came after  talks between the opposition and government failed to produce a compromising resolution to the dispute.

“We call on all of the leaders involved in this crisis who want to obstruct the life of the nation to find a solution,” said Rasolofonirina in a statement. If this is unsuccessful, the security forces will intervene as the nation’s last resort… to avoid a catastrophe,” he said.

He also called on all sides to resolve the situation “within the time limits imposed by the Constitutional Court in its ruling” but did not specify to which deadline he was referring.

Rocked by violent protests since April 21, Madagascar had initially sought to adopt new electoral laws that the opposition said were crafted to bar their candidates from participating in elections slated to hold this year.

Those provisions were then struck down by the court which ordered the president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina to form a government of national unity and to name a consensus prime minister within seven days, causing protestors to switch their focus calling on the president to resign.

However, interpreting the ruling has triggered fierce debate between the government and opposition. Both sides say they hold the majority in parliament, where many legislators have switched allegiances since 2013.

On Thursday, Rajaonarimampianina petitioned the Constitutional Court, urging it to clarify its instructions. The Court had also given the government and opposition 10 days to mediate their differences although it was unclear if that deadline superseded the seven-day ultimatum.

Government and opposition mediators, though not President Rajaonarimampianina nor the opposition leader met on Thursday for talks. The talks were however inconclusive.

The talks which are expected to continue on Friday is being put together by the country’s National Reconciliation Council.

Elected in 2013, Rajaonarimampianina has not yet announced whether he will stand for re-election in the country which has been politically volatile since the final years of former Marxist military leader, Didier Ratsiraka who was voted out in 2001.

Two ex-heads of state and one-time mayor of the capital have already said they will contest this year’s polls. They are Marc Ravalomanana, who was president from 2002 to 2009, and Andry Rajoelina, who removed Ravalomanana after a mass public protests and an army mutiny.

Both were barred from running in 2013 and their parties have been involved in the demonstrations, leading the two men to set aside their past animosity and unite against the current regime.

Madagascar has seen a series of popular protest movements since the island nation gained independence from France in 1960, often resulting in bloodshed.