Madagascar will hold a second round of presidential elections on December 19 between two ex-presidents as neither of could secure an outright victory in the first round of votes conducted on November 7.

According to Madagascar’s Independent Electoral Commission, two of the country’s former presidents, Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana came up tops in the first polls.

Neither of the candidates obtained the 50 percent of votes needed to win outrightly. Rajoelina had 39.19% of the votes ahead of Ravalomanana who got 35.29% of the total votes cast.

With only 8.84 percent of the votes, the country’s outgoing president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina placed third in the polls which the electoral commission said had a 54. 3% turn out.

However, these main candidates out of a total of 36 have accused the electoral authorities of fraud and corruption.

In 2001, Marc Ravalomanana proclaimed his victory in the first round of the presidential election, causing a crisis for seven months that led to the death of over a hundred people. He took the reins of power without organizing a second round. However, in 2009, Ravalomanana was forced to resign under the pressure of the army, which went ahead to entrust the leadership of the country to his then major opponent, Andry Rajoelina. 

The two men were then banned from participating in the 2013 presidential election which Hery Rajaonarimampianina eventually won.