Madagascar?s ruling party took an early and decisive lead as ballots from the Indian Island nation?s national assembly election were tallied, Interior Ministry data showed yesterday.

With 5 per cent of the vote counted, turnout appeared low for Madagascar?s third election since December when President Marc Ravalomanana (photo) won a second presidential term.

?In view of the results so far, the turnout rate remains quite weak,? Gervais Rakotonirina, secretary-general of the Interior Ministry, told Reuters. In the capital Antananarivo, where Ravalomanana?s Tiako i Madagasikara (I Love Madagascar) party won all 12 of the seats so far declared, turnout was only 24.73 per cent, Interior Ministry figures showed. The vote for the 127-seat lower house of parliament is not expected to shift the balance of power in a major way, but may indicate levels of support for Ravalomanana whose party previously had a two-thirds majority. He is widely praised for his energy and commitment to economic reform, but analysts question his authoritarian tendencies. ?I didn?t vote, because I do not see the results making much difference to my daily life,? said Michel Randrianarivo, a taxi driver. Final results are expected within 10 days, the Interior Ministry said. With an incipient mining boom under way, Madagascar is the world?s fourth largest island and home to some 19.6 million people.