General elections – The will of the Malagasy people must prevail

As I contemplate the impending general elections, I anxiously await the outcome. No I do not really care who wins and who loses. At this point, I am not even certain it really matters who gets the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Oh sure, it would make a difference for a politician, but not necessarily for the common man. On one hand, a TIM dominated National Assembly would mean that President Ravalomanana would be able to enact legislations a lot more easily than he would otherwise. Since his agenda will be virtually unopposed, things will run a lot more efficiently. In an ideal world, this would be just wonderful. In the world we live in, however, ideological monopoly is a very dangerous thing, indeed, because it has been known to spawn dictators, and dictatorships in the blink of an eye. On the other hand, from what little I have observed, so far, if the opposition wins, they can potentially make president Ravalomanana?s job a lot tougher, but it won?t necessarily stop the strong-willed president from getting his way. In a unicameral type of government, such as Madagascar?s, diversification would act as a built-in checks-and-balances. From that standpoint, an opposition-dominated National Assembly does not seem to be such a bad thing, after all. It will leave the door open for a wide spectrum of political agendas, and it will keep everyone honest.

Thus, if it matters so little to me who wins, and who loses, what do I want out of this election? More than anything else, I want this election to end without generating another political crisis. Once the people have spoken, I want the politicians to respect their decision. If Madagascar?s claim to democracy is to be taken seriously, the will of the Malagasy people should prevail, and there will no longer be street demonstrations, and riots following any election. The Malagasy people have suffered long enough at the hands of many ego-maniacal tyrants. They do not deserve to live through another hell just to soothe another politician?s bruised ego. Bloody coups, military take-overs, and any other forms of adult-size political temper tantrums no longer belong in Madagascar. Peace, harmony, and progress do.

I urge the losers to graciously accept their defeat, concede, and channel their energies into more constructive, as opposed to disruptive, and destabilizing activities; I want them to give the winners the benefit of a doubt. I urge the winners to graciously accept their victory, and move on to the business of governing the country; I want them to be open-minded, and always leave room for healthy disagreements, and meaningful dialogues.

I want this peaceful outcome because anything else would be a giant step back in the wrong direction for Madagascar. The Island cannot afford another political fiasco. If the see-through ballot boxes, the presence of international observers, the involvement of a newly minted National Election Council, and all that talk about aboveboard elections resulted in another political crisis, we would be the laughing stock of the Indian Ocean. The world would conclude that Madagascar is just another third world republic, no better, no worse. Many detractors would openly, and perhaps rightfully, declare, « I told you so! » And I, for one, would not even blame them.