Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina was set to address the nation on state television on Monday, October 13, 2025. This announcement followed a dramatic turn of events where an elite military unit seemingly turned against his government in an apparent coup, urging him to step down.
While his office confirmed the 7 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) broadcast, there was no immediate confirmation of the President’s whereabouts, fueling speculation that he might have fled after weeks of escalating anti-government protests that have turned deadly.
The protests, initially spearheaded by youth groups, reached a critical juncture on Saturday. Soldiers from the elite CAPSAT military unit not only joined demonstrators in Antananarivo, the capital, but actively called for President Rajoelina and several cabinet ministers to resign.
This same CAPSAT unit, instrumental in bringing Mr. Rajoelina to power as a transitional leader in a 2009 military-backed coup, announced it had assumed control over all of Madagascar’s armed forces.
Protesters march alongside a Madagascar military vehicle during a nationwide youth-led protest over frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on October 13, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
On Sunday, Mr. Rajoelina’s office denounced the unfolding situation as “an attempt to seize power illegally and by force” in the island nation of 31 million people. Efforts to reach a presidential spokesperson for comment on Rajoelina’s current location were unsuccessful.
Though Rajoelina has not named those behind the attempted overthrow, the CAPSAT unit demonstrated its authority by appointing a new general to lead Madagascar’s armed forces on Sunday, a move accepted by the Minister of Defence.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a CAPSAT commander, reported that his soldiers had exchanged fire with security forces attempting to suppress weekend protests, resulting in the death of one of his men. However, major street clashes were absent, and cheering crowds greeted soldiers riding armored vehicles adorned with Madagascan flags in Antananarivo.
While Colonel Randrianirina stated that the army was “responding to the people’s calls,” he refrained from calling it a coup. Speaking from military headquarters on Sunday, he emphasized that the Madagascan people would ultimately decide the next steps, including whether Rajoelina should leave office and if new elections would be held.
The Rise of Gen Z Protests in Madagascar
The U.S. Embassy issued a strong advisory, urging American citizens in Madagascar to shelter in place due to the “highly volatile and unpredictable” situation. Concurrently, the African Union called for “calm and restraint” from all parties, both civilian and military.
Madagascar has been rocked by three weeks of the most intense unrest witnessed in years. These protests began on September 25, sparked by widespread frustration over frequent water and electricity outages, and were notably led by a group identifying itself as “Gen Z Madagascar.” According to the United Nations, these demonstrations have tragically claimed at least 22 lives and left dozens injured, though the government disputes these figures.
Protesters hang a banner featuring a Malagasy version of the logo of the popular Japanese manga One Piece, a symbol adopted by Gen Z protest movements worldwide, during a nationwide youth-led demonstration over frequent power outages and water shortages, in front of the City Hall in Antananarivo, Madagascar, October 13, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
The initial grievances swiftly broadened, evolving into widespread public dissatisfaction with President Rajoelina’s administration. Protesters have since highlighted a myriad of issues, including rampant poverty, rising cost of living, limited access to higher education, and serious allegations of corruption and embezzlement of public funds by government officials, their families, and associates.
The movement has gained momentum with the backing of civic groups and trade unions, prompting authorities to impose nighttime curfews in Antananarivo and other major cities, including the northern port city of Antsiranana, where they remain in effect.
The tech-savvy Gen Z protesters, who ignited this uprising, mobilized effectively via the internet. They openly cite inspiration from similar movements that led to government overthrows in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Madagascar has a turbulent political past, marked by multiple leadership changes through coups and a history of recurrent crises since achieving independence from France in 1960.
Andry Rajoelina, now 51, first rose to power as the head of a transitional government following a 2009 coup that forced the then-President Marc Ravalomanana into exile. Rajoelina was subsequently elected president in 2018 and secured reelection in 2023, albeit in a vote largely boycotted by opposition parties.