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Madagascar is facing a rapidly escalating political crisis as elite soldiers and gendarmerie units turn against President Andry Rajoelina’s government amid nationwide protests led by disillusioned youth. The presidency announced on Sunday that an “attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” was underway as soldiers from the elite CAPSAT unit—instrumental in Rajoelina’s 2009 coup—called on fellow troops to defy orders and support demonstrators demanding change.
The unrest, which began on September 25 over chronic water and electricity shortages, has evolved into a broader anti-government movement. Protesters, largely from Generation Z, accuse Rajoelina—who has been in power for over 15 years—of corruption, neglect, and worsening poverty. Many demonstrators now demand his resignation and the dissolution of state institutions, including the Senate and electoral commission.
On Saturday, CAPSAT officers declared control over Madagascar’s security forces, naming General Demosthene Pikulas as army chief. The following day, the National Gendarmerie’s Intervention Forces also broke with the government, condemning the use of violence against civilians. Reports from Antananarivo described soldiers escorting protesters to May 13 Square, a historic site for uprisings, while sporadic gunfire left several injured near CAPSAT barracks.
Rajoelina’s office maintains that he remains in control, but his whereabouts are currently unknown, fueling speculation that he may have fled. The African Union has urged calm and dialogue, while Air France suspended flights between Paris and Antananarivo from October 11 to 13 due to security concerns.
With three-quarters of its 30 million citizens living in poverty and youth unemployment soaring, Madagascar’s crisis underscores deep frustrations among its young population. The movement—symbolized by the “One Piece” skull emblem popular among global protest groups—has become a rallying cry for equality, accountability, and change in one of Africa’s poorest nations.
