Putsch makers and supporters yearning for the earliest possible elections

Yet another electoral deadline
when being back from New York city, Rajoelina announced for the fifth time an electoral deadline. No more of rash promises, the transitional leader leaves the responsibility to the Electoral Commission and the United Nations’ experts. “In principle, the presidential election should be held within eight months, in January 2013,” he said. It goes without saying that he is not to be blamed, could this prediction fail again. The CENIT got the message anyway.

The Transitional National Independent Electoral Commission would be issuing an electoral deadline on May 29th, 2012. “The 60 months which were granted to us ended well on May 28th, but since it is a celebration day, we will do tomorrow,” declared Attallah Beatrice. Technical details are therefore being intertwined with political interests.

The CENI certainly did hold on to its mission’s parameters, but equally execute the transitional leadership’s orders the way it wanted them to, although the commission is basically supposed to address strictly technical matters and not merge into political trends. The current trend is consequently pointing at unilaterally organized elections, by and to the benefit of Rajoelina, the HAT and TGV party.

The ruling power is anti-democratic and worn out

The TGV party was founded as a consequence of the year 2009’s putsch. It has no electoral sheet, let alone success, apart from one mere municipal election won by Andry Rajoelina’s independent candidacy. This thing is actually the one acting as the advocate of elections deemed to be made free and fair by the fact that no one but it would be allowed to fix them.

The referendum through which the Party and its Duce altered the Constitution matches no better example of what is going to happen for real. This second putsch granted them the right to remain empowered until the next legal election of a president. Since realistic terms are far from reflecting the law, they are in for remaining where they are forever.

But, undisputedly ruling without international legitimacy and indeed without money while being stressed by growing claims and protests does not worth it that much. So, the TGV has to push for the earliest possible elections. “The United Nations’ 80 months long preparation period is too long.” The clock does not favor the Party. Elections are deemed to relieve it if and only if it remains in full control, knowing that its popularity shrinks day after day.

Stranded in unilateralism

Can the TGV-HAT-Rajoelina triumvirate ever afford to do away with the other political spheres and keep on implementing the roadmap its own way? The establishment of transitional institutions, put forth as an evidence of its will to cooperate, rather reflects its genuine intentions which have very little to do with consensus or reconciliation. The growing social crisis and claims for freedom of speech provide the proofs for this allegation. Andry Rajoelina and his party must give their power a democratic look, if they do not want to lose it for good.

The Rajoelina sphere does its best to get rid of its dictatorial profile. “There should be no opposition any more since we are ruling together” declared its ministers. Would they ever understand that facts are vastly more meaningful than words? And facts are definitely depicting a ruling cast empowered by a putsch, using violence to silence the reactionary opposition, and longing for gaining democratic legitimacy through elections… deemed to be fixed.