ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (Chatnewstv.com) — Madagascar’s armed forces said Tuesday they are taking control of the Indian Ocean island nation, hours after President Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid a rebellion by soldiers and a wave of youth-led protests inspired by similar movements in Kenya and Nepal.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina of an elite military unit announced that the army and gendarmerie would form a joint council to oversee a transition and appoint a prime minister to “quickly form a civilian government.”
“The armed forces cannot stand by while the nation collapses,” Randrianirina told reporters in the capital, Antananarivo. “We will ensure stability and restore the people’s trust in their institutions.”
The announcement came moments after parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina, who earlier dissolved the National Assembly in a last-ditch effort to block the motion. The 51-year-old leader said in a social media address Monday night that he had fled to a “safe place” in fear for his life but did not disclose his location.
The political crisis erupted after weeks of youth-led demonstrations that began over power and water outages and grew into broader protests against corruption, poverty, and the rising cost of living. “If Madagascan children are studying in darkness, where will the future of this nation be?” said protester Soavololona Faraniaina during a rally in Antananarivo.
Tensions peaked over the weekend when the elite CAPSAT military unit joined protesters and called for Rajoelina to resign — the same unit that helped bring him to power in a 2009 coup. Soldiers have since taken control of key installations, including the state broadcaster, where Rajoelina’s televised speech was canceled.
CAPSAT commanders denied staging a coup, saying instead that the people would “decide what happens next.” But the unit has assumed a central role in government affairs and appointed new military and gendarmerie chiefs.
There were no reports of major violence as armored vehicles rolled through the streets of Antananarivo, with many residents cheering the soldiers. However, the situation remained tense, with uncertainty over the country’s political future.
Rajoelina, a former mayor of the capital, first came to power after leading protests that ousted President Marc Ravalomanana in 2009. He was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in 2023.
Madagascar, a former French colony of 31 million people, remains one of the world’s poorest nations. According to the World Bank, more than 70 percent of its citizens live below the poverty line.
“This is history repeating itself,” said political analyst Hery Rakotoarivelo. “The military once again stands at the center of Madagascar’s politics — and the people are watching to see whether it delivers democracy or domination.”
