ANTANAARIVO: Madagascar’s military has taken control of the government after weeks of youth-led protests and widespread defections within the armed forces forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who led a mutiny of soldiers that joined the anti-government Gen Z demonstrations, announced the takeover on national radio Tuesday afternoon.
We have taken power, Randrianirina declared, saying the military was dissolving all state institutions except the National Assembly, which had just voted to impeach Rajoelina minutes earlier.
Earlier in the day, Rajoelina, 51, had moved to dissolve the National Assembly by decree. However, the parliament rejected his order and instead voted to remove him from office — escalating the political standoff that has shaken the Indian Ocean nation.
Despite reportedly flying out of Madagascar aboard a French military aircraft, Rajoelina has refused to resign, insisting he remains the country’s legitimate leader. The presidency later
The crisis began on September 25 when protests over water and electricity shortages spiraled into nationwide demonstrations against corruption, poor governance, and worsening living conditions.
On Tuesday, thousands of protesters flooded 13 May Square in the capital, Antananarivo, waving Malagasy flags and banners denouncing Rajoelina as a “French stooge” — a reference to his dual French citizenship and close ties to France, Madagascar’s former colonial ruler.
Many demonstrators carried the skull-and-crossbones flag inspired by the Japanese anime One Piece, a now-iconic symbol of the Gen Z protest movement that has dominated the uprising.
When Colonel Randrianirina addressed the crowd, asking if they would “accept a military takeover,” the square erupted in cheers.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged restraint, saying France “understands the grievances of Madagascar’s youth” but warned that such frustrations “must not be exploited by military factions.”
Rajoelina’s position had weakened dramatically after losing the loyalty of CAPSAT, the elite army unit that helped him seize power in a 2009 coup. The unit, commanded by Randrianirina, joined the protests over the weekend, escorting demonstrators and refusing to open fire.
The gendarmerie and police also defected, further isolating the president.
With a population of roughly 30 million, Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest nations, where three-quarters of citizens live in poverty. According to the World Bank, the country’s per capita income has dropped by nearly 45% since independence in 1960.
The Gen Z-led uprising is the latest in a series of youth-driven movements across developing nations, echoing similar anti-elite protests in Nepal and Morocco this year.
As of Tuesday evening, the situation in Antananarivo remained tense, with soldiers guarding government buildings and thousands of protesters celebrating what they called the end of French control in Madagascar’s politics.
