Antananarivo - Around 5,000 opponents of Madagascar's new leader Andry Rajoelina on Monday demonstrated in the capital Antananarivo over his installation as interim president following a power grab that has been condemned worldwide.

Around 5,000 people attended the rally in Antananarivo's May 13 square, the square where Rajoelina's supporters staged seven weeks of near-daily protests that eventually toppled ex-president Marc Ravalomanana last week.

Ravalomanana, 59, stepped down and handed his powers to the military, which in turn passed them on to his arch-rival Rajoelina, 34, the former mayor of the capital.

Rajoelina's army-backed bloodless rout was sanctioned by Madagascar's top court and he was installed as interim president on Saturday in a stadium rally, but the international community is refusing to recognize him as leader.

The African Union and the West have likened his ouster of the democratically-elected Ravalomanana to a coup.

The new opposition, composed mainly of Ravalomanana supporters, is appealing to the "silent majority" of Madagascans, who do not expressly support Ravalomanana but oppose Rajoelina's tactics, to join them in three days of protests and strikes.

The organizers of the protests are demanding Ravalomanana's return.

Ravalomanana stepped down after losing popular support and the support of a section of the army over his use of lethal force to quell opposition protests. While many in Madagascar and the region were uncomfortable with his leadership style, they felt Rajoelina should have waited for elections to try to oust him. (dpa)