Presidential race in 2013 with 33 candidates on the starting line

The protests officially issued by the unlucky candidates did not turn the odds no more. 33 figures will line up in their starting blocks in the run of the 4th Republic’s first presidential elections, a couple of years after its controversial foundation by Andry Rajoelina’s constitution. The putsch maker number will however not be in for them, in spite of resorting to every possible and allegedly legal way to remain in charge.
The new Special Electoral Court has ruled out three candidates, whose applications were held by one part of the International Community as lacking compliance with the Malagasy laws. Five other candidates, stationed abroad, got entitled to the same fate for not having been residing on home soil over the six latest months to the day of their application. Hery Rajaonarimampianina, the transitional finance minister is the replacement candidate, chosen by Kolo Roger and Jules Etienne, both of them part of the five aforementioned ones.
A sample of the single ballot paper deemed to serve into the presidential election will be made public on August 28th 2013. Following talks with all of the candidates, the Electoral Commission keeps going on with the figures previously assigned to each and every candidate. 33 numbers, from 1 to 41, will be used, apart from the numbers 2 (Lalao Ravalomanana), 14 (Didier Ratsiraka), 17, 21, 24, 26, 29 (Andry Rajoelina) and 30. The replacement candidate was allowed to choose between number 3 and number 21. He obviously chose the number 3.
Some candidates entitled to positions held as much less advantageous, namely like Sylvain Rabetsaroana, grieving about his number 39, required the dices to be thrown anew.  Candidate Joseph Martin Randriamampionona opposed this request, arguing that many candidates have already tackled their own printing process with their assigned numbers, just as he has.
Candidate Sarah Georget Rabeharisoa would have fancied another lottery drawing at least for the replacement candidate to come true, since no other candidate was allowed to make any choice. Yet, her number 16 does not seem to bother her as much as it could be supposed to.
The age limitation used to be a barrier which prompted Andry Rajoelina to alter the Constitution to his own advantage, for the sake of getting all of a sudden old enough to claim the title of Raiamandreny, according to Malagasy cultural standards. In the end, the under aged challengers happen to be less than five on the starting line… much less than five, considering that Laza Razafiarison’s candidacy has long been hanging by a thread. This presidential candidate and Opposition member got not that long ago toughly dealt with by a ruling power willing to flex muscles before candidates potentially unwilling to behave themselves.