1996 Malagasy presidential election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Infobox election

| country = Madagascar

| type = presidential

| previous_election = 1992–93 Malagasy presidential election

| previous_year = {{nowrap|1992–93}}

| election_date = 3 November 1996 (first round)
{{nowrap|29 December 1996 (second round)}}

| next_election = 2001 Malagasy presidential election

| next_year = 2001

| image1 = Didier Ratsiraka 1997.jpg

| nominee1 = Didier Ratsiraka

| party1 = Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar

| popular_vote1 = 1,608,321

| percentage1 = 50.71%

| image2 = President Albert Zafy.jpg

| nominee2 = Albert Zafy

| party2 = National Union for Development and Democracy

| popular_vote2 = 1,563,137

| percentage2 = 49.29%

| title = President

| before_election = Norbert Ratsirahonana

| before_party = Judged by Your Work Party

| posttitle = President

| after_election = Didier Ratsiraka

| after_party = Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar

}}{{Politics of Madagascar}}

Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 November 1996, with a second round on 29 December 1996.{{cite web|url=https://africanelections.tripod.com/mg.html|title=Elections in Madagascar|website=African Elections Database}} The election followed the impeachment of incumbent President Albert Zafy and the appointment of his interim successor, Norbert Ratsirahonana.

In the first round, former President Didier Ratsiraka took first place with 36.6% of the vote with a turnout of 58.41%.[http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/mad1996results.htm Madagascar: 1996 Presidential election results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902222022/http://www.eisa.org.za/WEP/mad1996results.htm |date=2010-09-02 }} EISA However, as he failed to win more than 50% of the vote, a second round was held, in which Zafy, who had been able to run despite his impeachment, was the sole alternative.Philip M. Allen, "Impeachment as Parliamentary Coup d'Etat", in Checking Executive Power: Presidential Impeachment in Comparative Perspective (2003), ed. Jody C. Baumgartner, Naoko Kada, page 91 LEADER-Fanilo candidate Herizo Razafimahaleo, who took third place with 15.1%, backed Ratsiraka for the second round.[http://www.herizo.org/spip.php?article24 Leader Fanilo sous la IIIe République] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008081430/http://www.herizo.org/spip.php?article24 |date=2007-10-08 }} Herizo.com {{in lang|fr}} Ratsirahonana, the acting President and Prime Minister, who stood as a candidate and received fourth place with 10.1% of the vote,[http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/Presidentielles_du_29_decembre_1996.pdf Rapport de la Mission d'Observation de l'Élection Présidentielle du 29 décembre 1996 (2è tour)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022755/http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/Presidentielles_du_29_decembre_1996.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }} democratie.francophonie.org {{in lang|fr}} backed Zafy.

In the second round, Ratsiraka achieved a narrow victory. On 6 January 1997, Zafy alleged that vote rigging and irregularities had occurred."Madagascar: Zafy alleges vote rigging, "irregularities" in presidential final ballot", Malagasy National Radio, Antananarivo, 6 January 1997 Final results confirming Ratsiraka's victory were announced by the High Constitutional Court on 31 January,"Madagascar: Didier Ratsiraka wins presidential election by small margin", AFP, 31 January 1997 and he was sworn in on 9 February."Ratsiraka sworn in as Madagascar's new president", Television Malagasy (Antananarivo), 9 February 1997