Madagascar holds key parliamentary election

People in Madagascar are voting in parliamentary elections Wednesday in which the ruling party hopes to retain its majority.

The Tanora Malagasy Vonona party of President Andry Rajoelina won 84 out of 151 seats in the last election.

Rajoelina himself controversially won re-election last November. The vote was marred by a low voter turnout and a boycott by the opposition.

12 million people are eligible to cast ballots in Wednesday's exercise, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

The African Union and a grouping of southern African countries SADC sent observers to the island nation.