Madagascar’s military has taken control of the island nation, announced Colonel Michael Randrianirina on national radio. The move follows a surge in protests led by Generation Z that peaked over the weekend, prompting President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country. Earlier, Rajoelina had dissolved the National Assembly in an apparent attempt to block an impeachment vote, but lawmakers proceeded anyway. A total of 130 members voted in favor of impeachment, surpassing the two‑thirds majority required.
The military has now dissolved all state institutions except the lower house of parliament. Randrianirina said the elite unit CAPSAT will form a committee of officers from the army, the paramilitary gendarmerie and the national police to assume the functions of the presidency. Senior civilian advisers may be added to the committee in the future. A civilian government is expected to be established within a few days, with a prime minister to be appointed shortly.
The presidency has condemned the military takeover as an “attempted coup,” insisting that Rajoelina remains the country’s president. In contrast, the High Constitutional Court has declared the presidential post vacant and invited the military to exercise the duties of head of state.
The protest movement, which began on 25 September over power and water shortages, later demanded the resignation of Rajoelina and other ministers. CAPSAT, the unit that helped Rajoelina seize power in the 2009 coup, joined the weekend protests. Their involvement has sparked further demonstrations by civil servants and trade unionists.
Madagascar’s situation remains uncertain, with the military’s next steps and the fate of a civilian government hanging in the balance. The international community is likely watching closely, given the country’s history of political instability, as observers assess how the takeover will affect Madagascar’s future and prospects for democratic governance.
Comments are closed for this story.