Madagascar has been plunged into political turmoil after President Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid massive youth-led protests and a wave of military defections that have effectively brought his government to its knees.
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko confirmed on Monday that Rajoelina departed the island nation on Sunday, following reports that sections of the armed forces had joined demonstrators demanding his resignation.
“We called the staff of the presidency, and they confirmed that he left the country,” Randrianasoloniaiko told Reuters, adding that the president’s whereabouts were currently unknown.
The exodus marks the second time in Rajoelina’s political career that he has been forced out of power by mass protests — the first being his ouster in 2009, following similar unrest.
A Dramatic Flight and French Connection
According to military sources, Rajoelina fled Madagascar aboard a French military aircraft. A French Army Casa plane reportedly landed at Sainte Marie Airport on Sunday afternoon, shortly after which a helicopter transferred a passenger—believed to be Rajoelina—onto the aircraft.
French broadcaster RFI reported that the president’s departure followed a discreet agreement struck with French President Emmanuel Macron, allowing him temporary refuge. The presidential office, which had earlier announced that Rajoelina would address the nation on Monday evening, has since gone silent, declining to respond to media inquiries.
The sudden flight comes as the latest escalation in a fast-moving crisis that began as demonstrations over power and water shortages in late September, before expanding into a nationwide revolt against corruption, unemployment, and poor governance.
Youth-Led Movement Spurs Military Defections
The protests, largely spearheaded by Madagascar’s Gen Z youth, have gained remarkable momentum over the past three weeks. Many of the young demonstrators, frustrated by economic stagnation and lack of opportunities, have called for sweeping political change.
On Sunday, tensions reached a breaking point when CAPSAT—an elite army unit that had once helped Rajoelina seize power during the 2009 coup—announced it was defecting to support the protesters. The unit declared that it “would not fire on its own people,” instead marching alongside demonstrators in the capital, Antananarivo.
The defection of CAPSAT proved decisive. The unit took control of the military command structure and named a new army chief, effectively stripping Rajoelina of his remaining authority.
A day later, a faction of the paramilitary gendarmerie also switched allegiance, formally announcing its support for the protest movement during a televised ceremony attended by senior officials.
A Nation in Crisis
Protests in Madagascar began on September 25 in response to worsening living conditions, prolonged blackouts, and severe water shortages. However, they soon morphed into a broader call for accountability, transparency, and political renewal.
“The government has failed to deliver even the most basic services,” said 22-year-old hotel worker Adrianarivony Fanomegantsoa, one of the many young citizens who joined the demonstrations.
“In sixteen years, the president and his allies have done nothing except enrich themselves while the people stay poor. The youth—the Gen Z—are the ones suffering the most.”
According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have died since the protests began, with hundreds more injured in clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Madagascar, a nation of nearly 30 million people, faces chronic poverty and deep inequality. The World Bank estimates that three-quarters of the population live below the poverty line, while the country’s GDP per capita has declined by nearly 45 percent since independence from France in 1960.
The island nation—best known globally as the world’s leading producer of vanilla—also depends on exports such as nickel, cobalt, shrimp, and textiles. However, years of political instability and corruption have hampered foreign investment and economic progress.
A Vacuum of Power
Following Rajoelina’s sudden departure, the President of the Senate, long a target of public anger, was removed from office on Monday. The Senate announced that Jean André Ndremanjary would assume leadership on an interim basis.
Under Madagascar’s constitution, the Senate President typically assumes the role of acting head of state in the absence of a sitting president. However, with much of the political class now under fire and the military asserting control, the country’s immediate future remains uncertain.
Crowds in the capital gathered again on Monday, chanting “The president must quit now!” and calling for a transitional government to oversee elections.
“The people have spoken,” opposition leader Randrianasoloniaiko said in a televised statement. “Madagascar’s youth have risen. We must listen to them and rebuild this nation together.”
Global Reactions and Parallels
International observers have drawn comparisons between the events in Madagascar and similar waves of Gen Z–driven protests across the world.
In recent months, youth movements have shaken political establishments in countries such as Nepal, where the prime minister resigned amid anti-corruption protests, and Morocco, where demonstrations over governance and unemployment have intensified.
Diplomatic sources in Paris and Addis Ababa said the African Union and United Nations were closely monitoring developments in Madagascar, urging calm and restraint from all parties.
France, Madagascar’s former colonial ruler, has yet to issue an official statement on Rajoelina’s reported arrival. Analysts say Paris faces a delicate balancing act, as any perception of interference could reignite anti-French sentiment on the island.
A Generational Turning Point
The fall of Rajoelina underscores the growing power of Africa’s youth movements, often fueled by digital activism and frustration with entrenched political elites. With a median age below 20, Madagascar represents a generation demanding accountability and a departure from decades of political stagnation.
“This is not just a political crisis,” said political analyst Dr. Fenosoa Rakotomanga. “It is a generational reckoning. The young people of Madagascar are saying, ‘enough is enough.’ They are tired of recycled leadership that fails to deliver.”
As night fell over Antananarivo on Monday, celebrations mixed with uncertainty. In the city’s main square, protesters waved national flags and danced to traditional rhythms, calling for unity and peace. But beneath the jubilant chants lies an urgent question: who will lead Madagascar next?
For now, the island nation stands at a crossroads — a country where a youthful population has managed to topple yet another government, but where the path to lasting democracy and stability remains uncertain.
