Madagascar's recently appointed Prime Minister, Christian Ntsay, says presidential elections will be held on 7 November this year, with a second round, if needed, on 19 December.

This is despite the fact that a constitutional court had earlier ruled that the polls should be held by October.

The elections have been controversial as President Hery Rajaonarimampianina earlier this year introduced a new law which barred key opposition candidate Marc Ravalomanana from running.

After street protests turned violent, the law was scrapped and in a bid to avert a political crisis, the constitutional court ordered the president to form a government of national unity and hold elections.