Impeached Madagascar President confirms fleeing country after coup

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has confirmed that he has fled the country following a military rebellion that has been described as an attempted coup.¹ The announcement came in a late-night speech broadcast on social media, where he stated that he had to “find a safe place to protect my life” but did not announce his resignation.²

The Background

The current political crisis in Madagascar stems from weeks of youth-led, anti-government protests that have snowballed into a broader movement against Rajoelina’s leadership.³ The protesters, organized under the name “Gen Z Madagascar,” have voiced a range of grievances, including:

• Poverty and Cost of Living: Protesters have expressed frustration with worsening living standards and economic hardship.⁴
• Corruption: Allegations of corruption and embezzlement of public funds have been a central theme of the demonstrations.⁵
• Essential Services: Widespread dissatisfaction over frequent power outages and water shortages has fueled the unrest.⁶

The situation reached a critical point when a key military unit, the Special Armed Forces and Intervention Regiment (CAPSAT), sided with the protesters.⁷ This unit, which was instrumental in bringing Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup, has now turned against him.⁸ CAPSAT has claimed to have taken control of all armed forces and appointed a new military leader.⁹

A History of Coups

This is not the first time Madagascar has experienced a political crisis of this nature. The country has a long history of leaders being removed by force.¹⁰

• Rajoelina’s Rise: Andry Rajoelina first came to power in a 2009 military-backed coup that ousted then-President Marc Ravalomanana.¹¹ At the time, Rajoelina was the mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, and led popular protests against Ravalomanana’s government.¹² After seizing power, he served as a transitional leader until he was elected president in 2018.¹³
• Ravalomanana’s Exile: Following the 2009 coup, Marc Ravalomanana fled to exile in South Africa.¹⁴ He was later convicted in absentia of conspiracy to commit murder in a case related to the violence during his overthrow.¹⁵ Ravalomanana faced a difficult and protracted struggle to return to Madagascar, with attempts to do so often being blocked by the government.¹⁶

The Current Situation

While Rajoelina has fled, he has not formally resigned, calling for dialogue and a respect for the constitution.¹⁷ However, the military has dissolved key government institutions, and a vote to impeach Rajoelina was passed in the lower house of parliament.¹⁸ The military has stated that a new civilian government will be formed in the coming days.¹⁹ The international community, including the United States and the African Union, has called for calm and restraint.²⁰