'Change needed' in Madagascar
 Mr Rajoelina, centre, said history must not be allowed to repeat itself |
Andry Rajoelina, the former disc jockey who has taken power in Madagascar, says there must be changes to the constitution so elections can be held.
Military leaders conferred full powers on the 34-year-old after President Marc Ravalomanana resigned, refusing his request to form a military directorate.
But under the current constitution, the opposition leader is six years too young to be elected president.
He told the BBC free and fair elections would be held within two years.
He earlier installed himself in the president's offices, which were seized on Monday by pro-opposition troops after protests against Mr Ravalomanana began in January.
The political turmoil has left more than 100 people dead.
"There must not be a power vacuum," Mr Rajoelina told the BBC's World Today programme.
"The life of the country cannot wait, so for this reason the people, the very life force of Madagascar, have named me as president of the republic to govern the transition in order to prepare for elections that will be held within the next 18 to 24 months."
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in the capital, Antananarivo, says My Rajoelina has come into office on the back of public protests, apparently resolving a long power struggle on the Indian Ocean island.
But it would be wrong to think of this as a popular revolution, our correspondent says, as ultimately it was the military that got Mr Rajoelina into power.
The African Union had urged the army not to hand power to Mr Rajoelina, saying this would amount to a coup.
'Deep reflection'
Asked why earlier elections would not be held, Mr Rajoelina said he did not want "history to repeat itself".
 | MADAGASCAR KEY FACTS  World's fourth largest island Biodiversity hotspot Exposed to tropical cyclones Population 20 million 70% live on less than $1 a day French colony until 1960 World's No 1 vanilla producer  |
"We'll have to change the constitution," he told the BBC. "We'll have to analyse the law on political parties, the electoral code; we need time to do all this."
Asked about the future of Mr Ravalomanana, who resigned on Tuesday, Mr Rajoelina said that was up to the judiciary.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed grave concern at the unrest in Madagascar, appealing to all parties to ensure a "smooth transition".
The African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) had condemned in advance any direct seizure of power by Mr Rajoelina.
Mr Ravalomanana announced on Tuesday he was resigning and handing over to the military during a radio address.
But Vice Adm Hyppolite Ramaroson said the army was giving full powers to Mr Rajoelina "to become president of the high transitional authority".
The president's decision to cede power marks a dramatic victory for Mr Rajoelina, who was sacked as mayor of the capital in February.
On Monday, Mr Rajoelina rejected Mr Ravalomanana's offer of a referendum to solve the crisis and called for his arrest.
Later that day, troops stormed the presidential residence in the centre of the capital and seized the central bank.
Mr Ravalomanana was re-elected for a second term in office in 2006 and under him, Madagascar's economy has opened up to foreign investment, particularly in mining.
But 70% of the 20 million population still lives on less than $1 (
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