In a direct address to supporters, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has publicly stated his commitment to resolving the country’s pressing challenges within the next year. He further pledged to step down from his position if these issues remain unresolved by that deadline. The president made these remarks during a town-hall style meeting held at his palace, where he engaged with various government-aligned groups, encouraging open dialogue and feedback.
“I don’t want flattery. I want to hear the truth. It’s the people who kept telling me that everything was fine who are responsible for our current situation,” President Rajoelina stated, emphasizing his desire for candid discussion.
Meanwhile, the Gen Z Mada movement, which has been at the forefront of recent protests demanding the president’s resignation, declined an invitation to participate in these discussions. Their representatives stated on social media that they cannot engage in dialogue with a government they accuse of repression, assault, and humiliation of the youth. The group has continued to call for protests and has made known their intention for a nationwide strike following the expiry of their 48-hour ultimatum for the president to resign.
The protests, which initially ignited due to widespread power and water shortages, have evolved into a broader expression of public dissatisfaction concerning corruption, high unemployment rates, and the increasing cost of living. In response to the growing unrest, President Rajoelina recently dissolved his government and appointed an army general as the new prime minister, a move also rejected by the protest movement.
President Rajoelina has been actively holding these dialogue sessions as part of his initiative to “listen more” and believes that honest conversations, rather than protests, are the key to addressing the nation’s complex problems. He assured attendees that ongoing power projects are expected to alleviate recurring outages by significantly boosting the national grid’s capacity. “I swear that if power cuts persist in the capital within a year, I will resign,” he declared.
Historically, President Rajoelina first came to power in 2009 following mass protests that led to military intervention and the ousting of the then-President Marc Ravalomanana. Despite the continued demands for his resignation from the youth-led movement, street demonstrations have reportedly diminished in intensity. Life in most areas of the capital, Antananarivo, continues with minimal disruption, although certain neighborhoods with a substantial police presence are being closely monitored.