In a dramatic twist, Madagascar’s military has marched in with rebels, dissolved institutions, and forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee, leaving the island nation in the grip of yet another power struggle.
Madagascar has been plunged into turmoil after its army seized control of the government, following a no-confidence motion in parliament against President Andry Rajoelina. The stunning announcement came from Colonel Michel Randrianirina, who stood before the ceremonial presidential palace in Antananarivo and declared that the military had taken power. Almost immediately after the parliamentary vote, Rajoelina fled the country, while soldiers who had joined anti-government protests cemented the takeover.
Colonel Randrianirina declared that all institutions except the lower house of parliament would be dissolved. He explained that the military, alongside the national police, would set up a council of officers to guide the country through the transition. A prime minister is expected to be appointed shortly to form a civilian government, though no clear names have yet emerged.
The colonel also announced that Madagascar’s constitution and the powers of the Supreme Constitutional Court were suspended. In their place, he promised that a referendum would be organized within two years, though the timing and scope remain vague. For now, the military insists it will oversee order while shaping what it calls a path toward a civilian-led government.
Protests have engulfed Madagascar for weeks, with crowds demanding Rajoelina’s resignation. Frustrations with the youth-led government grew as demonstrations spread, highlighting deepening public discontent. The turning point came when an elite unit of the army defected on Saturday to join demonstrators. With military support collapsing, Rajoelina accused the opposition of staging an attempted coup, but the pressure ultimately forced him to go into hiding before his departure from the country.
This military intervention now sets the stage for another uncertain chapter in Madagascar’s troubled political history. With institutions suspended, a president in exile, and generals calling the shots, questions remain about whether the promised civilian leadership will ever materialize or if the country has been pulled back into the cycle of coups and unrest that has haunted its past.
