Johannesburg - Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana announced Tuesday he was transferring his powers to a military directorate after coming under immense pressure to resign as leader of the impoverished Indian Ocean island.

His move, which observers say does not constitute a resignation, marks a new twist in his months-long standoff with opposition leader Andry Rajoelina.

Following is a timeline of key events in that power struggle:

December 2007: Andry Rajoelina, a businessman and former DJ, is elected mayor of the capital Antananarivo in a landslide victory over the president's candidate

December 2008: The state takes Rajoelina's TV station off air for broadcasting an interview with exiled dictator Didier Ratsiraka, whom Ravalomanana succeeded in 2002

January 17, 2009: Rajoelina thumbs his nose at the government by renaming a square in the capital Democracy Square

January 26/27: A mass opposition demonstration and general strike in Antananarivo ends in widespread looting and destruction of property. Dozens are killed.

January 31: Rajoelina unilaterally declares himself leader of Madagascar.

February 3: Government sacks him as the capital's mayor

February 7: Guards open fire without warning on opposition protestors trying to breach the exclusion zone around the president's offices, killing 28 people. The use of excessive force is widely condemned.

February 10: Rajoelina announces the formation of a rival interim government

February 19: Opposition supporters take control of four government ministries but are ejected by the army

February 23/24: Ravalomanana and Rajoelina hold talks brokered by a local church body. The talks break down when Ravalomanana ducks a meeting

March 8: Troops at the island's largest barracks begin refusing the president's orders over the use of excessive force by the army against civilians

March 12: Three days of UN-mandated multi-party reconciliation talks are called off after Rajoelina refuses to attend

March 14: The opposition seizes the prime minister's office and other government buildings. Ravalomanana appeals to his supporters to come to his residential palace to protect him.

March 16. Rajoelina' rejects Ravalomanana's proposal to hold a referendum on whether he should remain in office until his second term expires in 2011 as "too late". Mutinous troops storm the president's vacant offices.

March 17: Rajoelina occupies the presidency building. Ravalomanana announces he is dissolving government and transferring power to a military directorate composed of loyal senior officers. The army arrests the officers. (dpa)