AU suspends Madagascar as military leader to be sworn in as president

Colonel Randrianirina acceptable to presume presidency successful Madagascar aft President Andry Rajoelina removed.

Military person Colonel Michael Randrianirina volition beryllium sworn successful arsenic Madagascar’s transitional president connected Friday, the country’s caller enactment has announced, arsenic the African Union (AU) said it would suspend the state aft a coup to region President Andry Rajoelina.

Randrianirina “will beryllium sworn successful arsenic President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar during a solemn proceeding of the High Constitutional Court” connected October 17, said the statement, published connected societal media by a authorities tv presumption connected Thursday.

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Rajoelina, who was impeached by lawmakers aft fleeing overseas during the weekend, has condemned the takeover and refused to measurement down contempt youth-led demonstrations demanding his resignation and wide defections successful the information forces.

Randrianirina led a rebellion that sided with the protesters and ousted Rajoelina connected Tuesday successful the sprawling state of astir 30 cardinal radical disconnected of Africa’s eastbound coast. Since gaining independency from France successful 1960, the state has had a past of coups and governmental crises.

The latest subject takeover capped weeks of protests against Rajoelina and his government, led by younker groups calling themselves “Gen Z Madagascar”. The protesters, who besides included labour unions and civic groups, person demanded amended authorities and occupation opportunities, echoing youth-led protests elsewhere successful the world.

Among different things, the Madagascar protesters person railed against chronic h2o and energy outages, constricted entree to higher education, authorities corruption and poverty, which affects astir 3 retired of each 4 Madagascans, according to the World Bank.

Although immoderate suggest the subject seized powerfulness connected the backs of the civilian protesters, demonstrators cheered Randrianirina and different soldiers from his elite CAPSAT portion arsenic they triumphantly rode done the streets of the superior Antananarivo connected Tuesday. The colonel has promised elections successful 2 years.

The takeover was “an awakening of the people. It was launched by the youth. And the subject supported us”, said the protestation leader, Safika, who lone gave 1 sanction arsenic has been emblematic with the demonstrators. “We indispensable ever beryllium wary, but the existent authorities of affairs gives america crushed to beryllium confident,” Safika told The Associated Press quality agency.

The protests reached a turning constituent Saturday erstwhile Randrianirina and soldiers from his portion sided with the demonstrators calling for the president to resign. Rajoelina said helium fled to an undisclosed state due to the fact that helium feared for his life.

Randrianirina had agelong been a vocal professional of Rajoelina’s medication and was reportedly imprisoned for respective months successful 2023 for plotting a coup.

His swift takeover drew planetary concern. The African Union condemned the coup and announced the country’s suspension from the bloc. The United Nations said they were “deeply acrophobic by the unconstitutional alteration of power”.