Rajoelina, who first ruled Madagascar between 2009 and 2014 before returning to power in 2023, has faced growing public unrest over corruption, unemployment, and worsening poverty.
Antananarivo, Madagascar: Madagascar’s embattled president Andry Rajoelina reportedly fled the country aboard a French military aircraft on Monday after losing the backing of a key army unit that joined massive youth-led protests demanding his resignation.
According to reports from France, the 51-year-old leader, who also holds French citizenship, was flown out of Antananarivo following an emergency arrangement with French President Emmanuel Macron. Sources indicate he was airlifted to Dubai hours before he was expected to address the nation at 7pm local time.
Rajoelina, who first ruled Madagascar between 2009 and 2014 before returning to power in 2023, has faced growing public unrest over corruption, unemployment, and worsening poverty. His administration’s failure to contain the economic crisis and rising cost of living fueled the anger of young protesters under the movement “Gen Z Madagascar.”
The protests escalated when soldiers from the elite Capsat unit, the same group that helped Rajoelina seize power during the 2009 coup, defected to join demonstrators in the streets. The group’s mutiny effectively stripped the president of his last line of defense.
Crowds of demonstrators flooded Antananarivo’s city hall square on Monday, waving national flags and chanting anti-government slogans, with some seen climbing atop military vehicles.
The United Nations reported that at least 22 people have been killed since the unrest began, including victims of clashes with security forces and criminal gangs exploiting the chaos. Rajoelina’s government had earlier downplayed the figures, insisting only 12 deaths had been confirmed.
The latest wave of demonstrations began on September 19, following the arrest of two opposition politicians accused of organizing protests over chronic power blackouts and water shortages. Their detention ignited nationwide anger, further eroding Rajoelina’s political legitimacy and prompting parts of the military to side with the opposition.
With the president now reportedly in exile, Madagascar faces a deepening power vacuum and mounting uncertainty over who will assume control amid growing calls for a transitional government.
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