Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was ousted on Tuesday in a military coup, following weeks of youth-led demonstrations over poverty, persistent
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina was ousted on Tuesday in a military coup, following weeks of youth-led demonstrations over poverty, persistent power cuts, and limited job opportunities across the island nation.
The coup came just hours after parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina, who reportedly fled the country for safety. Shortly after the vote, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, commander of Madagascar’s elite CAPSAT military unit, announced that the armed forces had taken control. He said a transitional council made up of army and gendarmerie officers would be established and tasked with appointing a prime minister to “quickly” form a civilian government.
“We are taking power,” Col. Randrianirina declared in front of the ceremonial presidential palace in Antananarivo, where jubilant protesters celebrated alongside soldiers. He added that the constitution and the powers of the High Constitutional Court had been suspended, with a national referendum planned in two years, though details were not provided.
From an undisclosed location, Rajoelina issued a decree attempting to dissolve the lower house of parliament in an effort to block his impeachment. Lawmakers, however, defied the order and voted overwhelmingly to remove the 51-year-old leader—who himself first rose to power through a military-backed transitional government in 2009.
In response, Rajoelina’s office condemned the military’s move, describing Colonel Randrianirina’s declaration as an “illegal act” and “a grave violation of the rule of law.”
“The Republic of Madagascar cannot be taken hostage by force. The State remains standing,” President Andry Rajoelina’s office declared, after he was overthrown in a military coup that followed weeks of youth-driven protests.
Madagascar—a vast island nation off the southeast coast of Africa with a population of about 30 million—is the world’s largest producer of vanilla and a global biodiversity hotspot. Yet since gaining independence from France in 1960, the country has battled persistent poverty and political instability, including multiple coups.
Rajoelina’s downfall came at the height of nationwide protests led largely by Generation Z activists. What began as demonstrations over constant power and water outages soon expanded into wider demands for government accountability, access to education, affordable living, and an end to corruption. According to the World Bank, roughly 75% of Malagasy citizens live in poverty.
Although young people spearheaded the movement, civic groups and labor unions soon joined, amplifying the call for change. The decisive moment came on Saturday when Colonel Michael Randrianirina and his elite CAPSAT unit—the same force that helped Rajoelina rise to power in 2009—defected to the protesters’ side. Their defection prompted Rajoelina to flee the country.
In a social media address on Monday night, Rajoelina confirmed he had left Madagascar for a “safe place” out of fear for his life.
The protesters, who have occupied the streets and a central square in Antananarivo for weeks, said they were inspired by other Gen Z-led uprisings that toppled governments in Nepal and Sri Lanka. They have emphasized that their movement has no single leader but a shared demand for systemic change.
“We do not get a constant supply of electricity and water from the government,” said protester Soavololona Faraniaina. “If Madagascan children are studying in darkness, where will the future of this nation be? Where is the wealthy Madagascar that many countries once envied?”
Over the weekend, CAPSAT announced it was assuming control of Madagascar’s armed forces and named new heads for both the military and the gendarmerie. Although its commanders initially denied staging a coup, the unit has since taken a central role in national decision-making.
Rajoelina, from hiding, condemned the move as “a rebellion and an illegal attempt to seize power by force.”
His ouster marks yet another chapter in Madagascar’s long struggle with political volatility—this time ignited by a restless young generation demanding accountability, opportunity, and a better future.