Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has fled the country following weeks of mass youth-led protests that culminated in parts of the army defecting to join demonstrators, opposition leaders and military sources said on Monday.
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko told Reuters that Rajoelina departed Madagascar on Sunday, confirming the president’s exit after contacting staff at the presidency.
“We called the staff of the presidency and they confirmed that he left the country,” Randrianasoloniaiko said, adding that Rajoelina’s current whereabouts were unknown.
A military source said Rajoelina left aboard a French military aircraft from Sainte Marie airport on Sunday. French radio RFI reported that the Malagasy leader struck a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron before his departure. The source added that a helicopter transported Rajoelina to the aircraft minutes before it took off.
Also Read: Madagascar President to Address Nation Amid Unrest
The president’s office, which had earlier announced Rajoelina would address the nation at 7 p.m. local time on Monday, did not respond to requests for comment.
Protests erupted on September 25 in response to chronic power outages and water shortages but quickly escalated into broader demonstrations against corruption, bad governance, and worsening poverty in the Indian Ocean island nation.
Rajoelina, who first came to power in a 2009 coup, faced increasing isolation after losing the support of CAPSAT, the elite army unit that had once helped him seize control. Over the weekend, CAPSAT joined protesters, escorting thousands into Antananarivo’s main square and declaring it would no longer fire on civilians. The unit then announced it had taken charge of the military and appointed a new army chief — a move Rajoelina condemned as an attempted coup.
By Monday, a faction of the paramilitary gendarmerie had also joined the uprising, formally assuming control of its headquarters during a public ceremony witnessed by senior officials.
The Senate, which had also become a target of public anger, announced that its president had been relieved of his duties. Jean André Ndremanjary was appointed to serve temporarily. Under Madagascar’s constitution, the Senate president assumes the presidency in the absence of a head of state until elections are held.
Youth Anger and Economic Strain
Thousands of demonstrators gathered again in Antananarivo on Monday, chanting, “The president must quit now.”
Hotel worker Adrianarivony Fanomegantsoa, 22, said his 300,000-ariary ($67) monthly wage was barely enough to afford food. “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,” he told Reuters.
The United Nations estimates that at least 22 people have died in clashes between protesters and security forces since the unrest began.
With a median age under 20 and a population of 30 million three-quarters of whom live in poverty. The World Bank reports that the country’s GDP per capita has fallen by 45% since independence in 1960.
While Madagascar is the world’s leading producer of vanilla, other key exports include nickel, cobalt, textiles, and shrimp sectors now threatened by the ongoing instability.
