Madagascar Faces Power Struggle Amid Youth-Led Protests

Madagascar’s presidency stated on Sunday that an endeavor to seize power forcibly was in progress in the African nation as additional soldiers aligned with a youth-driven protest movement that has unsettled the former French colony for over two weeks. Troops from the elite CAPSAT unit, instrumental in President Andry Rajoelina’s rise to power in a 2009 coup, called on fellow soldiers to defy orders on Saturday and support the youth-led demonstrations that commenced on September 25, marking the most significant threat to Rajoelina’s authority since his re-election in 2023. CAPSAT officers announced on Sunday their control over the country’s security operations, pledging to coordinate all military branches from their base on the outskirts of the capital, Antananarivo, and appointing Gen. Demosthene Pikulas as the army’s leader. Additionally, a unit of the paramilitary gendarmerie, previously involved in managing the protests alongside the police, also distanced itself from the government on Sunday. They emphasized that the gendarmerie’s purpose is to safeguard citizens and not to serve the interests of a select few, stating their alignment with the CAPSAT headquarters. The Defence Ministry and military general staff declined to provide any comments. An observer from Reuters witnessed three individuals sustaining injuries from gunfire along a road leading to the CAPSAT barracks on Sunday, though other witnesses reported no ongoing confrontations. In a statement released on the presidency’s official social media account, Rajoelina’s office labeled the situation as an “attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power,” with the president advocating for dialogue to resolve the crisis. While Rajoelina’s whereabouts remained undisclosed on Sunday, his office affirmed late Saturday that both he and the prime minister retained full control over the nation’s affairs. The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, initially sparked over water and electricity deficiencies but have since escalated, with demonstrators demanding Rajoelina’s resignation, an apology for violence against protesters, and the dissolution of the Senate and electoral commission. Many protesters sported clothing and flags featuring a common symbol – a skull with a straw hat from the Japanese manga series One Piece – synonymous with youth-led protests in various countries. Thousands of protesters congregated in Antananarivo on Sunday to voice their discontent with the government and honor a deceased CAPSAT soldier, allegedly killed by the gendarmerie on Saturday. The peaceful assembly witnessed the presence of church leaders, opposition figures, including former president Marc Ravalomanana, and CAPSAT troops. Madagascar, characterized by a youthful demographic, with a median age of below 20, houses a population of around 32 million, with three-quarters living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Local media broadcasted a video showing numerous soldiers departing the barracks on Saturday to escort a multitude of protesters into May 13 Square in Antananarivo, a site of numerous political uprisings that had been heavily guarded and restricted during the unrest. The African Union Commission’s head, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, appealed for calm and constraint amidst the situation. Due to the security circumstances on the ground, Air France-KLM’s French division suspended flights between Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and Antananarivo from Saturday through Monday.