Antananarivo, Jan 3 (IANS): Former finance minister Hery Rajaonarimampianina has won the Dec 20 presidential elections in Madagascar, the Indian Ocean island country's electoral commission declared Friday.

Rajaonarimampianina took the lead with 53.50 percent of votes while his competitor Jean Louis Robinson garnered 46.50 percent, Independent National Election Commission (CENIT) President Atallah Beatrice said at an official gathering attended by government officials, presidential candidates and international observers, Xinhua reported.

According to Beatrice, the turnout rate was 50.76 percent. More than 7.9 million voters were registered to go to the 20,001 polling stations throughout Madagascar during the run off.

The results announced by the CENIT will be submitted to the special electoral court. According to the law, the electoral court will have 15 days to judge all complaints during the election and announce the final results.

Robinson denounced a massive fraud during this election and complained to the special electoral court. However, this election was judged by international observers as democratic.

Robinson was supported by the former president Marc Ravalomanana while Rajaonarimampianina was supported by transitional president Andry Rajoelina.