Military Seizes Power in Madagascar After Weeks of Anti-Government Protests

The Madagascan army seized power on Tuesday following weeks of anti-government protests that forced President Andry Rajoelina into hiding.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina of the elite CAPSAT unit announced that the military had taken control of the country and would form a joint committee of army and police leaders to establish a civilian administration “quickly.”

The move came minutes after parliament voted 130–1 to impeach Rajoelina for abandoning his post, after reports emerged that he had fled the country. In a video address Monday, Rajoelina said he was in hiding for his safety.

The presidency denounced the military’s action as a “coup d’état”, insisting that Rajoelina remained the legitimate leader.

The power grab follows weeks of “Gen Z” youth-led demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo, over severe water and electricity shortages, corruption, and poor governance. The United Nations says at least 20 people were killed in the protests, with security forces accused of using deadly force.

Rajoelina, 51, first rose to power through a 2009 coup backed by the same CAPSAT unit before later winning two elections. His recent attempt to quell unrest by dissolving parliament and firing his government failed to stop the protests.

Madagascar, an island nation of 31 million, now faces deep political uncertainty amid military control and public anger over worsening living conditions.