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Madagascar's highest court has backed the handover of power to interim leader Andry Rajoelina. It comes a day after military leaders conferred powers to the 34-year-old when President Marc Ravalomanana quit. But under the current constitution, the former disc jockey is six years too young to be elected president. Zambia called for the immediate suspension of Madagascar from the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (Sadc).Page last updated at 13:24 GMT, Wednesday, 18 March 2009 Madagascar power struggle explained - par MOISE Madagascar power struggle explainedMarc Ravalomanana resigned as Madagascar's president after weeks of bitter and deadly political clashes. The military handed power to Andry Rajoelina, the 34-year-old former mayor of Antananarivo. Rajoelina and Ravalomanana have been engaged in a bitter power struggle since the beginning of the year. Despite vowing that he would never give up power without an election or referendum, Ravalomanana fled his presidential palace. The army later stormed the abandoned palace as a show of support for Rajoelina. Analysts believe that Ravalomanana had little choice but to step down once he lost the army's support. The power grab ended a chaotic few days in the island nation. Though Rajoelina's supporters say he is now in charge, the dust has not yet settled. Is this a Coup, as the African Union has suggested, or is this a popular expression of the people? Army-backed leader cements grip in Madagascar - par MOISE Army-backed leader cements grip in MadagascarBy Richard Lough ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Madagascar's new president, Andry Rajoelina, celebrated and consolidated power on Wednesday after being appointed by the Indian Ocean island's military in a move that drew international disapproval. Rajoelina, 34, a former disc jockey, partied with supporters in the street after meeting his ministers to plan strategy. Exiled Madagascar politician urges new elections - par MOISE Exiled Madagascar politician urges new electionsBy James Mackenzie PARIS (Reuters) - Madagascar's new leader Andry Rajoelina must move more quickly to hold elections and restore legitimate government in the huge Indian Ocean island, a senior exiled opposition politician said. Pierrot Rajaonarivelo, a former deputy prime minister and head of one of Madagascar's main opposition parties, said he had supported Rajoelina and welcomed the removal of President Marc Ravalomanana. But he criticized as a coup the way in which the former mayor of the capital Antananarivo took power with the army's backing on Tuesday. "In my opinion, what has happened has not always respected the legality of things, so what we have today is an insurrectional government, a coup d'etat," he told Reuters late on Tuesday. Rajaonarivelo is an ally of former president Didier Ratsiraka, and both have lived in exile in Paris since a 2002 crisis that brought Ravalomanana to power. Rajaonarivelo was prevented from running in the 2006 election after his return to Madagascar was blocked by the former government. He said he had been in contact with Rajoelina during the months-long stand-off that led to the ousting of the president. "I'm with Rajoelina, we've met," he said. "We have a sort of deal and I'm among the people behind him but I think as far as his approach is concerned, there's a bit of amateurism there." Rajaonarivelo said that any solution would have to include opposition politicians exiled after 2002. Rajoelina, 34, has promised to hold elections within two years but Rajaonarivelo said he should move much more quickly. "That's too long! Why and for what reason is he taking 24 months as his starting point?" he said, adding that the constitutional court should have been involved by declaring the presidency vacant and regulating a handover of power. Under the constitution, the head of the upper house of parliament should have taken over and held elections within two months and Rajaonarivelo said that by flouting the law, Rajoelina risked creating further turmoil. "If we do this kind of thing every time the government is removed, that country will never have any stability," he said. The African Union has already called for the constitution to be respected and there has been criticism from both the European Union and the United States over Ravalomanana's ouster. "The international community has to intervene to ensure legitimacy in the transfer of power," Rajaonarivelo said. (Editing by Francois Murphy and Mark Trevelyan) La situation à Madagascar le mardi 17 mars au soir - par MOISE La situation à Madagascar le mardi 17 mars au soir : video de France 24.com Air Madagascar le programme des long-courriers Air Madagascar - par MOISE 17/03/09 : PROGRAMME DES VOLS AIR MADAGASCAR Vous trouverez, ci-dessous, le programme des long-courriers Air Madagascar pour la période du 28 mars au 31 mai 2009. - FLASH INFO - MISE A JOUR DU 17 MARS 2009
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