If the situation in Madagascar was not tense enough it was raised further on Saturday when Opposition leader Andry Rajoelina demanded that President Ravalomanana steps down by 6pm on that day. Rajoelina who has the support of the bulk of the Madagascan Army made the call earlier on Saturday while addressing 15,000 of his supporters at the Plaza 13th May in the capital, Antananarivo.

Rajoelina has already appointed a new ‘Prime Minister’ Roindefo Zafitsimivalo Monja, and Monja announced that the President, Senate and National Assembly were stripped of their duties. He also said the transitional government, as the opposition now terms itself, plans to organize elections within 2 years.

The 6pm deadline passed and there was no capitulation from Ravalomanana rather he defiantly released a press statement branding the opposition a nothing more than a street demonstration. In the statement the President says of Rajoelina’s transitional government “they have not taken power through democratic elections. The movement is, and remains until now, a street demonstration, which uses terror and repression to survive. A self-proclamation does not give legal power”

With a stalemate between the Ravalomanana and Rajoelina all eyes turn to the army and in particular the new Army Chief of Staff Andre Andriarijaona who has already publicly declared his support for the opposition. He said after the deadline passed that there was no need to deploy the Army to the Presidential Palace, but was ready to support the opposition if necessary.

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