Madagascar strike call over election

The opposition protests have at times turned violent

The opposition candidate in Madagascar's presidential election is urging a general strike in protest at a court ruling that a run-off second round of voting must be held with the incumbent, Didier Ratsiraka.

Marc Ravalomanana - who says he won more than 50 % of the vote - was addressing a huge crowd in the capital, Antananarivo.

His supporters have been holding daily protests for weeks demanding that he should be declared the outright winner of the December election.

But the high constitutional court ruled on Friday that neither man had won enough votes in the first round to be declared president.

Opposition cries foul

Mr Ravalomanana believes the count was fiddled

As soon as the court verdict was announced it was rejected by Mr Ravalomanana and about 150,000 opposition supporters packed the streets of Antananarivo demanding that he be declared president.

"We reject this verdict and we will stay on (this square) until all our demands are accepted," Mr Ravalomanana was quoted as telling the peaceful demonstration in the centre of the capital.

Under the court ruling, the second round has to be held within 30 days.

President Ratsiraka is seeking a fifth and final term

The official count, backed by the latest court ruling, gave Mr Ravalomanana 46.21% of the vote and President Ratsiraka 40.89%, necessitating a second round.

But Mr Ravalomanana wants the court to collect all official documentation and compare it with the findings of his own party, which claims he won 52.1 %.

He has also said he would be satisfied if Mr Ratsiraka was disqualified for foul play in the polls.

International monitors have backed opposition demands for a recount and a public hearing.

In 1991, street protests forced Mr Ratsiraka to introduce multi-party elections and he lost the first contest in 1993, before being re-elected three years later.