Madagascar military takes control of state power

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Madagascar military takes control of state power 
Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has fled the country in the face of the Gen-Zid protests. In the current situation, the army has taken control of the country's state power. An army official said this on Tuesday. Colonel Michael Randrianirina said on Madagascar's national radio, "We have taken power." The part of the army that supported the Gen-Zid protests was led by Colonel Michael Randrianirina. He said that the army is suspending the activities of all government institutions in the country. However, the lower house of parliament, or the National Assembly, will remain in place. Earlier, President Rajoelina tried to dissolve the National Assembly by issuing a decree.

French broadcaster RFI reported on Monday that Rajoelina had made a secret deal with French President Emmanuel Macron. He was flown out of the country on a French military plane. Despite fleeing the country amid widespread protests by Gen Z and a mutiny by a section of the military, Rajoelina has refused to resign. Rajoelina has said he has taken refuge in a safe place due to threats to his life. An opposition official in Madagascar, a military source and a foreign diplomat told Reuters that Rajoelina left the country on a French military plane on Sunday.

The country began protests on September 25 over water and electricity shortages, which quickly turned into a wider uprising of discontent over corruption, mismanagement, and lack of basic services. The protests are seen as a reflection of recent protests against the ruling class in countries such as Nepal and Morocco. Today, thousands of protesters marched in the capital Antananarivo’s 13 May Square, chanting and dancing, against Rajoelina. Protesters also displayed banners calling Madagascar a “French puppet” for its dual citizenship and support for former colonial power France. Many protesters carried the national flag of Madagascar. At one point, Colonel Michel Randrianirina took to the stage and asked, “Are you ready to accept military intervention?” The crowd erupted in cheers. 

A rebel army unit called Capsat supported anti-government protests led by young people on Saturday. The following day, the unit announced it was taking control of Madagascar’s entire military. President Andry Rajoelina has since largely been isolated. Madagascar has a population of about 30 million. Three-quarters of its people live below the poverty line. According to the World Bank, GDP per capita fell by 45 percent between 1960 and 2020 after independence.