The African state\u2019s leader says he has found a \u201csafe place\u201d after his army backed calls for his resignation<\/p>\n
Madagascar edged toward a power struggle this week as its leader, President Andry Rajoelina, fled the country, citing alleged threats to his life. His departure followed a break by an elite army unit that joined youth-led protests over chronic water and power outages that have widened into anger over poverty and corruption. The president has denounced the situation as an illegal attempt to seize power.
\nWhat sparked the unrest?
\nThe Indian Ocean nation has been a scene of demonstrations since September 25. The rallies, led by the \u2018Gen Z Madagascar\u2019 movement, which began in the capital, Antananarivo, have since spread to other cities, driven by frequent utility cuts and the cost of living. The UN says at least 22 people have been killed, a figure the government disputes. Nighttime curfews remain in force in the capital and other hubs.
\nThe group demands Rajoelina\u2019s resignation, accountability for the deaths of protesters and alleged abuses, and the dissolution of institutions they deem illegitimate. Over the weekend, crowds flooded May 13 Square, a symbolic protest venue in central Antananarivo, for the first time, joined by elite soldiers from CAPSAT units in army vehicles.
\nGovernment reshuffles that failed to calm the streets
\nOn September 29, Rajoelina dissolved his government in an attempt to calm public anger, acknowledging that \u201cmembers of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them.\u201d On October 6, he appointed General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, replacing Christian Ntsay, who had held the post since 2018. The move failed to halt the protests, which instead intensified.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Attempted coup underway \u2013 Madagascar president<\/p>\n
Attempted coup underway<\/p>\n
Rajoelina announced on Sunday that an attempt to seize power by force was underway and urged all \u201cnational forces\u201d to unite in defense of the constitutional order and national sovereignty. His remarks followed calls from CAPSAT soldiers, the unit that helped bring him to power in a 2009 coup, urging fellow troops to disobey orders and join the uprising. Rajoelina, a former DJ, led a transitional authority for nearly five years before winning the presidency in 2018. He was reelected in 2023 after weeks of protests and boycotts by several opposition candidates.
\nPresident flees country
\nIn a late-night video address posted to Facebook on Monday, Rajoelina confirmed he had been flown out of the country by the French military amid escalating protests and a mutiny. He said he had \u201cfound a safe place to protect my life,\u201d called for dialogue, and insisted the constitution be respected. He had been scheduled to address the nation earlier on Monday, but his office said the broadcast was postponed after \u201ca group of armed forces [attempted] to take control of state-owned media.\u201d
\nThe president\u2019s precise location remains unconfirmed. Multiple outlets reported Rajoelina left Madagascar on a French military aircraft. French outlet RFI reported he may have been bound for Dubai.
\nArmy fractures as CAPSAT names new chief
\nOfficers from CAPSAT declared they were coordinating all branches of the armed forces in the former French colony and named General Demosthene Pikulas as the new army chief. Elements of the gendarmerie publicly broke ranks, saying force should not be used against anti-government protesters. AP reported that the country\u2019s defense minister accepted the CAPSAT-backed appointment in the president\u2019s absence. CAPSAT commanders have reportedly denied staging a \u201ccoup,\u201d and said they responded to \u201cthe people\u2019s calls.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Madagascar appoints general as new prime minister<\/p>\n
How the world is responding
\nThe African Union has called for calm and restraint, while the UN has urged for respect for human rights and accountability for violence. Air France has suspended flights on the Paris-Antananarivo route, citing security concerns. The Southern African Development Community has labeled the situation \u201cunfortunate\u201d and urged \u201cconstructive engagement and peaceful resolution of any differences.\u201d Russia has said it hopes the crisis will be resolved through peaceful means.
\nRisks and the road ahead
\nMadagascar has a history of military-backed political upheavals. More than 75% of the roughly 30 million in the former French colony are poor, according to the World Bank. The current crisis is the most serious challenge to Andry Rajoelina\u2019s administration since his reelection in 2023, and it will test whether regional diplomacy can avert another outright coup.
\nSpeaking to RT about the Madagascar unrest, Vsevolod Sviridov, an expert at the Center for African Studies at Moscow\u2019s Higher School of Economics, said the Gen Z upsurge \u201cconfirms the traditionally prominent role of young people in street protests.\u201d He believes such movements will \u201cbecome a frequent occurrence in African countries\u201d as youth populations expand and demands for better living standards rise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The African state\u2019s leader says he has found a \u201csafe place\u201d after his army backed calls for his resignation Madagascar edged toward a power struggle this week as its leader,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20257,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t