Madagascar president warns of attempt to ‘seize power’: What to know

Madagascar’s presidency says “an effort to prehend powerfulness illegally and by force” is nether way, a time aft soldiers from an elite subject portion joined a youth-led protestation against the government.

“In presumption of the utmost gravity of this situation, the President of the Republic … powerfully condemns this effort astatine destabilization and calls upon each forces of the federation to unite successful defence of law bid and nationalist sovereignty,” President Andry Rajoelina’s bureau said successful a connection connected Sunday.

The connection did not place who was down what it identified arsenic an attempted coup, but members of the elite CAPSAT subject unit, which erstwhile installed Rajoelina successful power, said it has taken implicit power of the equipped forces aft 3 weeks of deadly Gen Z protests.

“From present on, each orders of the Malagasy service – whether land, aerial oregon [naval] – volition originate from CAPSAT headquarters,” officers from CAPSAT’s administrative and method contingent said successful a video connection connected Saturday.

It was not wide whether different units of the service would travel the order.

In the look of snowballing protests, Rajoelina faces the gravest governmental situation of his regularisation of the African nation.

So what’s happening successful Madagascar? Is this the extremity for Rajoelina? And what bash the Gen Z protesters want?

Protesters successful Antananarivo, Madagascar, hurl stones during nationwide demonstrations connected October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

What’s the latest?

The protests by a radical calling itself Gen Z Madagascar person spilled onto the streets for a 3rd week. Saturday witnessed 1 of the largest protests since the unrest began past period implicit a scope of issues, including a outgo of surviving situation and corruption.

Addressing crowds of protesters from an armoured vehicle, Colonel Michael Randrianirina of the CAPSAT unit, said connected Saturday: “Do we telephone this a coup? I don’t cognize yet.”

The CAPSAT officers said they had named General Demosthene Pikulas arsenic the caput of the army, a station that has been vacant since its erstwhile occupant was appointed curate of the equipped forces past week, the AFP quality bureau reported. However, it was not wide if the posting could beryllium considered official.

There was nary contiguous effect from different units oregon the existing subject command.

On Saturday, a radical of soldiers clashed with gendarmes astatine a barracks earlier driving into the metropolis to articulation the Gen Z protesters calling for Rajoelina to measurement down.

Why are antigovernment protests happening successful Madagascar?

On September 25, young protesters started demonstrations against h2o and energy shortages, inspired by a question of Gen Z-led protestation movements successful countries including Kenya, Indonesia, Morocco, Nepal and Bangladesh.

They soon escalated and snowballed into calling for the extremity of Rajoelina’s rule, dismantling the Senate and ending privileges for concern owners perceived to beryllium adjacent to the president. They besides privation Rajoelina to apologise for the violence, successful which astatine slightest 22 radical person been killed and much than 100 injured, according to the United Nations.

Madagascar – an land federation disconnected the eastbound seashore of Africa with a colonisation of much than 31 cardinal people, 80 percent of whom are affected by terrible poorness – has a past of governmental crises. Several leaders person been forced retired successful uprisings since it gained independency from France successful 1960.

The Gen Z protesters are demanding “radical alteration to physique a free, egalitarian and agreed society”.

Among the issues they purpose to code are systemic corruption, embezzlement of nationalist funds, nepotism, failures successful entree to basal services and education, and a vibrant democracy.

Rajoelina, 51, archetypal roseate to prominence successful 2009 aft starring protests against the authorities arsenic the politician of the capital, Antananarivo, which resulted successful a military-backed overthrow of President Marc Ravalomanana.

A subject assembly took powerfulness and handed it implicit to Rajoelina arsenic transitional leader. Later, successful 2018, helium was elected arsenic president and past again successful 2023 erstwhile the ballot was boycotted by absorption parties.

Protesters stitchery astir a subject conveyance during a protestation successful Antananarivo connected October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

What’s Gen Z Madagascar?

Gen Z Madagascar’s logo is simply a pirate skull and crossbones. The representation from the Japanese comic bid One Piece has go cardinal to the planetary question of Gen Z protests and is worn by mostly black-clothed demonstrators successful Madagascar.

From Kenya to Nepal, this representation from the series, which follows the adventures of a young pirate and his unit against an authoritarian government, has travel to symbolise the Gen Z movements.

In Madagascar, the representation has been personalised by adding a accepted Madagascan chapeau connected the skull.

The radical has its ain website, a beingness connected societal media platforms and a GoFundMe leafage to rise money. Their website header reads: “Political question of young people, by young people, for Madagascar”.

“They didn’t privation to perceive america successful the streets,” the website says. “Today, acknowledgment to integer exertion and the dependable of Generation Z, we volition marque our voices heard astatine the array of powerfulness connected the absorption side. To enactment an extremity to 16 years of inaction, let’s request transparency, accountability and heavy reforms.”

Responding to Rajoelina’s connection for talks, the protesters said successful a statement: “We bash not scope retired to a authorities that each time crushes those who basal up for justice. This authorities talks astir dialog but rules with weapons.”

Protesters chant slogans astatine Independence Place successful Antananarivo connected October 11, 2025 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]

The Madagascan protesters are being compared to youth-led protestation movements successful Bangladesh, Nepal and Kenya, which person forced governmental change. In Nepal, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign aft wide protests past period portion Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to fly to neighbouring India aft a student-led uprising successful August 2024.

Across the world, Gen Z, oregon radical beneath 30, are starring a caller question of protests. Unlike accepted movements, these demonstrations are often organised online, utilizing platforms similar TikTok and Discord to dispersed messages, program actions and link with different young people.

From Africa to Asia and Latin America, Gen Z protesters are demonstrating against corruption, economical hardships, clime inaction and societal inequality, calling for an overhaul of the system.

What has the authorities said?

Prime Minister Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, speaking connected the state-run TVM transmission precocious connected Saturday, said the authorities was “fully acceptable to perceive and prosecute successful dialog with each factions – youth, unions oregon the military”.

Zafisambo was appointed by Rajoelina aft helium dissolved the erstwhile authorities past week successful effect to the protests. However, the determination failed to assuage nationalist anger.

The army’s main of staff, General Jocelyn Rakotoson, aboriginal made a connection broadcast connected section media urging citizens to “assist the information forces successful restoring bid done dialogue”.