ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (Reuters)—President Andry Rajoelina has fled Madagascar, according to opposition leaders and officials, marking the second time in weeks that Gen Z-led protests have toppled a government worldwide.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Rajoelina departed the African nation on Sunday after key military units defected and sided with demonstrators. Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, the opposition leader in parliament, confirmed the president’s departure, though his whereabouts remain unknown.
The president later addressed the nation via Facebook from an undisclosed “safe location,” stating he was forced to move to protect his life from an attempted coup. He was defiant, however, refusing to step down and vowing not to “allow Madagascar to be destroyed.”
Key Developments
- French Airlift: A military source reported that Rajoelina flew out on a French military aircraft after striking a deal with President Emmanuel Macron. Macron would not confirm the reports but stressed that Madagascar’s constitutional order must be preserved.
- Military Rebellion: Rajoelina lost the backing of CAPSAT, the elite army unit that helped him seize power in a 2009 coup. CAPSAT joined the protesters over the weekend, refusing to fire on citizens and announcing it was taking charge of the military. A faction of the gendarmerie also defected.
- Political Vacuum: The President of the Senate, who is next in line to the presidency, was relieved of his duties, and a replacement was temporarily appointed, indicating a rapid collapse of the central government.
- Protest Motivation: The demonstrations began on September 25 over chronic water and power shortages but quickly escalated into a widespread revolt against corruption, bad governance, and deep poverty.
Gen Z and Poverty
Madagascar, a nation of 30 million where the median age is under 20, faces extreme economic challenges. The World Bank reports that three-quarters of the population lives in poverty.
One protester, 22-year-old hotel worker Adrianarivony Fanomegantsoa, encapsulated the public anger, saying his meager $67 monthly salary was barely enough for food. “The president and his government have done nothing except enrich themselves while the people stay poor. And the youth, the Gen Z, suffer the most,” he told Reuters.
The UN estimates at least 22 people have been killed in clashes since the unrest began.
