VOA标准英语2013--马达加斯加选民不确定选举能结束危机

Voters Unsure Madagascar Election Will End Crisis 马达加斯加选民不确定选举能结束危机

WASHINGTON — Voters in Madagascar are returning to the polls Friday to elect a new president and parliament. Hopes are high that the new leadership will end a five- year political and economic crisis in the Indian Ocean island nation, where a former mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, ousted 1 a democratically elected president in  2009.

The election runoff is being held after the first round on October 25 failed to produce an outright 2 winner.  Richard Jean-Louis Robinson of the Avana party, a former  health minister in the government of ousted president Marc Ravalomanana, won about 30 percent of the vote in the first round. His rival, Hery Martial 3 Rokotoarimanana  Rajaonarimampianina, former finance minister in the transitional government headed by incumbent 4 Andry Rajoelina, won about 15 percent.

Both candidates have promised to work on national reconciliation 5 if elected, but after years of unrest following the 2009 coup 6, many in Madagascar are doubtful.

"The leaders say they want national reconciliation, but they can't even agree on just one debate," said Dizo Henri, a Antananarivo resident.

In 2009, the young mayor of Antananarivo, former disk jockey Andry Rajoelina, ousted the legally elected government of President Marc Ravalomanana with the backing of  the army. Violence and political wrangling 7 has left the country without a constitutional government since.

"The duration of this crisis has been too long. It's enough. By now we should have an elected president," said Roland Razafi, who is planning to vote at the upcoming  poll.

After the coup, Madagascar came under international sanctions which caused the nation to lose foreign aid. Its tourism industry suffered as well.

Both presidential candidates say they will focus on rebuilding the economy, but political analyst 8 Gilbert Raharizatovo think both lack the necessary experience.

"What Madagascar is looking for now is a man who's able to organize [things], who has a vision, so that's called a statesman. In Madagascar, it doesn't really exist.  Why? Simply because, in my opinion, a statesman is a man who's been trained for long years to recognize what are the ethics 9 of governance, the deontology of governance  or the deontology of politics," said Raharizatovo.

Perhaps more importantly, the two candidates are seen as proxies 10 for longtime rivals Rajoelina and Ravalomanana, both of whom are barred from running. For some voters,  that means no end to the political impasse 11.

"This election is not a way out of the crisis, but the Madagascan people have no choice other than to choose between the two candidates," said one voter.

The run-off is taking place on the same day as parliamentary elections. The newly elected lawmakers will then nominate Madagascar's prime minister.