Madagascar’s parliament votes to dismiss president Hery Rajaonarimanpianina
Madagascar's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to dismiss President Hery Rajaonarimanpianina for alleged constitutional violations and general incompetence.
The Indian Ocean island's constitutional court will now decide whether the decision to dismiss Rajaonarimanpianina can be enacted.
The motion was backed by 121 of the 125 lawmakers who voted, easily clearing the two-thirds majority required.
More from GlobalPost: How to pronounce the name of Madagascar's new president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina
The parliament's speaker, Jean Max Rakotomamonjy, said after the votes were counted: "It is officially declared that everyone accepts that the request of dismissal can be submitted to the constitutional court."
When Rajaonarimanpianina came to power in elections in December 2013 — the first democratic vote since 2006 — it was hoped Madagascar was finally emerging from a deep political and economic crisis.
The country had been plunged into chaos in 2009 when Rajaonarimanpianina's predecessor Marc Ravalomanana was ousted in a coup.
But Rajaonarimanpianina's critics say he has failed to deliver on his promises and one of his key political allies has deserted him.
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