The continental body has restated its \u201czero tolerance\u201d for unconstitutional changes of government after soldiers ousted the country\u2019s president<\/p>\n
The African Union (AU) has suspended Madagascar\u2019s membership after the army deposed the Indian Ocean nation\u2019s president, Andry Rajoelina, amid unrest that forced him to flee to a \u201csafe location.\u201d
\nThe decision on Wednesday came hours after the leader of the military takeover, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, said he would be sworn in as president \u201csoon.\u201d The army officer, who commands the elite CAPSAT unit, has declared that he will oversee a transition \u201cto restore stability\u201d after weeks of violent protests and growing splits within the security forces.
\nIn a statement issued after a meeting of its Peace and Security Council, the AU said it \u201cstrongly condemns the seizure of power by the military on 14 October 2025\u201d and \u201ctotally rejects the unconstitutional change of government.\u201d
\nThe continental body decided to \u201cimmediately suspend\u2026 Madagascar from participation in all activities of the union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.\u201d
\nProtests over rising costs and chronic power cuts gripped Madagascar for weeks before army units sided with demonstrators, denouncing alleged repression. Rajoelina left the country at the weekend, citing threats to his life after troops surrounded the presidential palace. Lawmakers impeached him on Tuesday, and the military declared control. He had tried to dissolve parliament as demands for his removal intensified.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: UN warns against illegal change of power in Madagascar<\/p>\n
The High Constitutional Court subsequently invited Col. Randrianirina to serve as head of state, citing a \u201cvacuum\u201d created by the president\u2019s departure.
\nThe new military leadership has reportedly suspended key institutions, leaving the National Assembly as the only functioning institution.
\nMadagascar now joins five other African countries \u2013 Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Sudan \u2013 under AU suspension following coups.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Gen Z revolt and military mutiny in Madagascar: What we know so far<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the AU reiterated its \u201czero tolerance of unconstitutional changes of government\u201d and reaffirmed its \u201crespect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity\u201d of Madagascar.
\nThe Southern African Development Community has also condemned the coup as \u201ca grave threat to peace, stability and democratic order\u201d and has pledged to send a fact-finding mission to help \u201ccreate conditions for an inclusive dialogue and a swift return to constitutional order\u201d in the former French colony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The continental body has restated its \u201czero tolerance\u201d for unconstitutional changes of government after soldiers ousted the country\u2019s president The African Union (AU) has suspended Madagascar\u2019s membership after the army…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20441,"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-20440","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