Ousted Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid a military takeover and growing protests over governance failures.
Madagascar has plunged deeper into political uncertainty as ousted President Andry Rajoelina confirmed for the first time that he had fled the country following a military-led power grab sparked by weeks of nationwide demonstrations.
In a statement released late Wednesday, the presidency says Rajoelina left between October 11 and 12 after receiving “explicit and extremely serious threats” to his life. The threats reportedly came as he prepared for an official trip abroad.
Media outlets reported that the 51-year-old leader was evacuated aboard a French military aircraft on Sunday. A day later, Rajoelina announced that he had taken refuge in a “safe place,” without revealing his location.
The crisis escalated when military officers, backed by the National Assembly, seized power, accusing the president of mismanagement and loss of public trust. The military’s new leader, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, is expected to be sworn in as interim president on Friday.
The youth-led Gen Z movement, which began protests on September 25 over water and energy shortages, welcomed the military’s intervention, calling it a “people’s correction” of leadership failure.
However, the United Nations condemned the seizure of power as “unconstitutional,” while the African Union suspended Madagascar from all its activities “with immediate effect.”
Madagascar now joins the growing list of African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea, that have experienced military takeovers since 2020, raising global concern about the continent’s democratic backsliding.
About the Author
