Referendum : unilateral call, for lack of time

The official decree 2010-0757, issued on August 16th 2010 by a Cabinet meeting announced the holding of the constitutional referendum. The decision of holding the referendum on November 17th was reached and pledged by the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI)

“Voters are being called to cast their ballots on November 17th 2010 from 06:00 local time, in order to decide about the fourth Republic’s Constitution. The voting process will be over on the very same day at 16:00 local time, in compliance with the electoral code’s article 36”. Unusually early opening and closing hours!

“In compliance with the electoral code’s Order 2010-003 and its article 34, both issued on March 23rd 2010, the electoral register’s recast will be completed on November 2nd 2010 at 17:00 local time”. So reads the CENI’s challenge. The ID card operation and the year 2010’s census are expected to add some pages to the register, 3 millions more voters according to Andry Rajoelina.

The HAT is calling upon a vote exactly for the second time. In June, the electoral draft came too late to the CENI. “Any previous decision currently conflicting with the present  decree, namely the decree 2010-278 issued on May 2010 and calling upon the vote of the fourth Republic’s Constitution, is suspended”.

This second HAT attempt will remain as unilateral as the first one. Although the Rajoelina political sphere of influence is basing its act on a political deal labeled as “new inclusiveness”, August 16th’s cabinet meeting which made the decision is still made of TGV technicians. The electoral calendar drafted in Ivato happens to be a genuine race against the clock. The compulsory 90 days long legal period between the call to vote and the vote itself compelled the HAT to forget the erection of a so named consensual government.

The constitutional draft is not yet on the table. The Constitutional Advisory Committee is waiting for the outcome of the National Conference. Even the question to voters is still to be determined. A genuine political common ground between Ivato and the opposition’s three parties is still a far away dream, and so is the genuine constitutional democratic debate. The referendum will actually be summed up to one mere question: Do you want to take part into this election? Issuing an electoral deadline prior to any political common ground, the pure HAT unilateral tradition…