Madagascar's new leader Andry Rajoelina was inaugurated as president Saturday at a stadium ceremony attended by some 50,000 cheering supporters in the capital, Antananarivo, dpa reported. The ceremony, following seven weeks of violence which saw the ousting of elected president Marc Ravalomanana, came a day after the African Union suspended the country over Rajoelina's "coup". AU Peace and Security Council Chairman Bruno Nongoma Zidouemba had rejected Rajoelina's army-backed arrival to power through the streets, which he said could be considered tantamount to a "coup". Ravalomanana resigned as president on Tuesday, handing over power to the military, who then gave it to Rajoelina, who was confirmed as interim president by the country's top court a day later. Zidouemba said Madagascar had six months to organize elections or face sanctions on its leaders. Rajoelina, the former mayor of the capital Antananarivo, has given himself two years to hold elections.
