Madagascar’s military has taken control of the government after President Andry Rajoelina was impeached by lawmakers and fled the country amid escalating protests and divisions within the armed forces. The move marks the most dramatic power shift in the island nation since 2009 and follows weeks of youth-led demonstrations over corruption, power outages, and worsening economic hardship, as reported by Reuters and The Guardian.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, head of the elite CAPSAT military unit, announced on national radio that the armed forces had assumed power and dissolved key national institutions, including the Constitutional Court and the electoral commission. “We have taken responsibility for the nation,” Randrianirina said, adding that a transitional council would govern for up to two years and organise a constitutional referendum and fresh elections.
Rajoelina’s impeachment came after he attempted to dissolve the National Assembly to stave off a no-confidence vote, a move that failed to halt proceedings. The Constitutional Court later invited Colonel Randrianirina to serve as interim president, citing Rajoelina’s “abandonment of post” and the constitutional vacuum left by his departure. Reports by AP News indicated that Rajoelina had fled Madagascar shortly before the army announcement.
The coup follows weeks of mounting tension between the government and a coalition of protesters and opposition groups. Analysts say the military takeover underscores deep frustration within Madagascar’s institutions and society. “This is not only a political crisis but also a generational uprising,” said political analyst Hery Rafalimanana in Antananarivo. “The country’s youth have demanded change, and now the military has acted on that momentum.”
