Madagascar's president is ousted in a military coup after weeks of
youth-led protests
[October 15, 2025]
By NQOBILE NTSHANGASE, BRIAN INGANGA, SARAH TETAUD and
GERALD IMRAY
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina was
toppled Tuesday in a military coup that capped weeks of youth protests
over poverty, power outages and a lack of opportunity in the Indian
Ocean island country.
Right after parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina, who fled the country
fearing for his safety, the leader of Madagascar’s elite CAPSAT military
unit said the armed forces would form a council made up of officers from
the armed forces and gendarmerie, a military unit that polices
civilians, and would appoint a prime minister to “quickly” form a
civilian government.
“We are taking power,” Col. Michael Randrianirina told reporters in
front of a ceremonial presidential palace in the capital, Antananarivo,
as protesters celebrated the news with soldiers. He said the
constitution and High Constitutional Court's powers had been suspended,
and that a referendum would be held in two years, though he didn't go
into detail.
From an undisclosed location after fleeing, Rajoelina issued a decree
Tuesday trying to dissolve parliament’s lower house in an apparent
attempt to preempt being impeached. But lawmakers ignored it and voted
overwhelmingly to end the rule of the 51-year-old leader, who himself
came to power as a transitional leader in a military-backed coup in
2009.
Rajoelina’s office released a statement condemning Randrianirina’s
announcement as an “illegal declaration” and “a serious breach of the
rule of law.”
“The Republic of Madagascar cannot be taken hostage by force. The State
remains standing,” it said.
Madagascar, a sprawling island country off the east coast of southern
Africa, is home to about 30 million people. It is the world’s biggest
vanilla producer and, because of its geographic isolation, is known for
its biodiversity. Since gaining its independence from French colonial
rule in 1960, it has struggled to overcome poverty and political
instability, including a series of coups.
Rajoelina's fall capped weeks of Gen Z-led protests that started over
persistent electricity and water outages but snowballed into
demonstrations of frustration with the government and Rajoelina's
leadership. Protesters raised a range of issues, including government
corruption, access to higher education, the cost of living and poverty,
which affects about 75% of Madagascar's population, according to the
World Bank. Although young people led the demonstrations, others also
took part, including civic groups and unions.
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Protesters call for President Andry Rajoelina to step down in
Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Brian
Inganga)
The turning point came Saturday, when Randrianirina and CAPSAT
troops joined the protests and turned against Rajoelina, which led
the president to go into hiding. In a Monday night speech broadcast
on social media, Rajoelina said he left the country for a "safe
place" in fear for his life.
The protesters, who have been on the streets for weeks and packing a
main square since Saturday, have said they were inspired by other
Gen Z-led movements that toppled leaders in Nepal and Sri Lanka. The
young protesters have made clear they don't have a leader.
Demonstrators insisted that change is needed in Madagascar.
“We do not get a constant supply of electricity and water from the
government," said one 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 envied?"
CAPSAT is the same military unit that turned against the government
in 2009 and helped Rajoelina take power. The unit said over the
weekend that it was taking charge of all of Madagascar's armed
forces, and new heads of the military and the gendarmerie security
forces have been appointed.
CAPSAT commanders previously denied that they had carried out a
coup, and said Madagascar's people should decide what happens next.
But the unit appeared to be in a position of authority in some areas
of government decision-making since Saturday, and Rajoelina had
called the military's actions a rebellion against the government and
“an attempt to seize power illegally and by force.”
___
Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.
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