Madagascar postpones presidential election for a week after candidates are hurt in protests

Presidential candidate Marc Ravalomanana cast his vote during a runoff presidential election in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018. (Themba Hadebe, file/AP Photo)

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar — Madagascar's highest court ruled Thursday that next month's presidential election be postponed for a week to allow authorities to prepare after two candidates were injured during protests when security forces fired tear gas grenades.

The election was meant to be held on Nov. 9 but must be moved to Nov. 16, the High Constitutional Court said. The date for a runoff election would remain Nov. 20 if it was required, the court said.

The two opposition candidates, Andry Raobelina and former President Marc Ravalomanana, were both injured during protests this month. Raobelina said he suffered an eye injury caused by a tear gas grenade last week. Ravalomanana sustained a leg injury in a protest last weekend which was also caused by a tear gas grenade, his party said.

They are two of 13 candidates cleared to run in the election.

Andry Rajoelina is seeking re-election for a second term as president. He served as president in a transitional government from 2009-14 after Ravalomanana was removed in a military-led coup. Rajoelina won his first term in an election in 2018, when he beat Ravalomanana in a runoff.

Rajoelina, 49, resigned as president last month because the law requires leaders to step down if they want to contest an election.

Ravalomanana and other candidates have said that Rajoelina should be disqualified from the election because they claim he is not a Madagascar citizen, but Rajoelina insists that he's a citizen.

Risk management company Crisis24 says further protests and clashes are likely ahead of the election in the island nation of 28 million people.