Union has since removed any mention of a coup in its official communique and called on the transitional government to `` comply scrupulously with the provisions of the constitution of Madagascar on interim arrangements . '' Monja Roindefo , the opposition-appointed prime minister , vigorously defended the week 's developments on the island , located off the southeastern coast of Africa . `` Well , we would like to define what is a coup , '' he told CNN on Wednesday . `` A coup is a group of people or persons who takes the power on behalf of sovereignty , on behalf of the people ... when the representative democracy does n't work anymore . '' `` As you know , as stated , in the African Union charter , the people have the right to defend itself from an oppression or a dictatorship in Africa , '' he added . Roindefo said the new government will hold elections but has given itself two years to clean up the process . Watch more from iReporters and Twitterers on the crisis '' `` How could you make an election immediately ? '' he said . `` We need to reform
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Madagascar 's military handed over the reins of the island nation to opposition leader Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday , ending a two-month long political crisis -- but apparently creating a constitutional one . Andry Rajoelina is six years too young to be Madagascar 's president under its constitution . Rajoelina , a former disc jockey turned mayor of Madagascar 's capital , declared himself president of a transitional government and his supporters pledged to hold elections in two years . But Rajoelina , at 34 , is six years too young to be president , according to the country 's constitution . Also , the constitution says the head of parliament 's upper house must call elections within two months if something happens to the president . Madagascar 's former president , Marc Ravalomanana , ceded power to his military Tuesday after insisting over the weekend that he would remain in control . Analysts think Ravalomanana had little choice but to step down once he had lost much of the army 's support . The African Union had warned that any power transfer aided by the military would amount to a coup d' etat . The