Madagascar’s army seized power on Tuesday following the impeachment and flight of President Andry Rajoelina, marking the country’s latest descent into political turmoil after weeks of youth-led protests over corruption, economic hardship, and power outages.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the officer who led the mutiny, announced on national radio that the military had assumed control of the state and suspended key institutions, including the Senate and the Constitutional Court, while keeping the National Assembly intact. He said a “transitional committee of national salvation” would govern alongside a caretaker administration for a period of up to two years, after which fresh elections would be organised.
“The army has stepped in to prevent further chaos and ensure the continuity of the state,” Randrianirina declared in his broadcast from the capital, Antananarivo, urging calm and vowing that the military would “protect the people and the republic.”
Rajoelina, 51, condemned the takeover in a statement released from an undisclosed location, accusing the military of betrayal and insisting he remained the country’s legitimate president. His impeachment, backed by a cross-party majority that included lawmakers from his own coalition, was finalised on Monday night, following days of street protests and mounting defections within his government.
The unrest began in late September, triggered initially by prolonged power and water shortages in the capital and several regional cities. What started as sporadic demonstrations quickly escalated into a broader movement denouncing corruption, soaring food prices, and government mismanagement. Young people, many of them university students and unemployed graduates, formed the backbone of the protests, often clashing with police in running battles across Antananarivo.
As reports of the coup spread on Tuesday morning, thousands of jubilant demonstrators poured into the streets, waving national flags and chanting anti-Rajoelina slogans. Outside key ministries and military barracks, however, the mood was tense, with soldiers deployed to prevent looting and to maintain order.
The events mark a dramatic reversal for Rajoelina, a former DJ-turned-politician who first rose to prominence after leading a military-backed coup in 2009 that ousted then-president Marc Ravalomanana. After nearly five years in power, he stepped aside under international pressure but returned triumphantly through the ballot box in 2018, promising stability and economic revival.
In recent months, however, his administration had come under increasing criticism for its failure to tackle corruption, improve living standards, or address chronic power shortages. The government’s decision to hike electricity tariffs in August further inflamed public anger, while allegations of embezzlement involving senior officials in state-owned enterprises deepened discontent.
Madagascar, an island nation of 30 million people, has a long history of political instability. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, it has experienced multiple coups and failed transitions, often fuelled by poverty, elite rivalry, and the army’s recurring role in politics. Despite its vast natural resources and agricultural potential, the country remains one of the poorest in the world, with more than 70 per cent of its population living below the poverty line.
