President Flees

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina fled the country after weeks of youth-led protests, according to opposition leaders and military sources.

Context

Rajoelina first came to power in 2009 through a military-backed coup and was later elected president in 2018. He won reelection in 2023 in a vote that opposition parties boycotted. The large island country off the coast of East Africa gained independence from France in 1960 and has experienced several coups and political crises throughout its history. Madagascar is one of the world's poorest nations, with four out of five people living below the poverty line.

French Evacuation

A French military aircraft evacuated Rajoelina from Madagascar on Sunday, according to military sources and opposition officials. The opposition leader in parliament said staff at the presidential office confirmed the president had left the country, though his whereabouts remain unknown. French state media speculated that he could be in Dubai. 

A military source told outlets that a French military plane landed at Madagascar’s Sainte Marie Airport on Sunday, and a helicopter arrived five minutes later to transfer a passenger into the aircraft.

Demonstrations

Demonstrations began on September 25 over water and electricity shortages but quickly grew into a broader uprising. Protesters, calling themselves “Gen Z Madagascar,” raised concerns about poverty, the cost of living, corruption, and lack of basic services. At least 22 people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces, according to the UN. Rajoelina and Madagascar’s government disputed this number, claiming only 12 have been confirmed killed and that they were all “looters and vandals.”

One protester, a 22-year-old hotel worker, told reporters his monthly salary of $67 was barely enough to cover food. He said, “In 16 years the president and his government have done nothing except enrich themselves while the people stay poor. And the youth, the Gen Z, suffer the most.”

Constitutional Vacuum

The president’s departure came after an elite military unit called CAPSAT defected and joined the protesters over the weekend – the same unit had helped Rajoelina seize power during the 2009 coup. 

Madagascar’s Senate appointed a new leader on Monday who would act as caretaker head of state in the president's absence. However, opposition officials said the country remained in a “constitutional vacuum” because the Senate was nearing the end of its term. The protests reflected similar youth-led movements that recently forced leadership changes in other countries, including Nepal and Kenya.