Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina (center) casts his ballot at a polling station in Ambatobe, Antananarivo, on Nov 16, 2023, during the first round of the Madagascar presidential election. (PHOTO / AFP)

ANTANANARIVO - Madagascar's incumbent President Andry Rajoelina has won the presidential election by garnering more than 50 percent of the votes, according to preliminary results released Saturday by the country's Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

Madagascar initiated its first round of the presidential election on Nov 16 to choose the national leader for the next five years among 13 candidates

The CENI announced that Rajoelina obtained a total of 2,856,090 votes, or 58.95 percent of the votes, at a press conference.

With more than 50 percent of the votes garnered, the incumbent president won the presidential election during its first round, said the CENI.

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Madagascar initiated its first round of the presidential election on Nov 16 to choose the national leader for the next five years among 13 candidates.

The CENI said before the election that over 11 million registered voters out of the total population of 30 million were expected to cast their ballots.