Madagascar’s Parliament Impeaches President Andry Rajoelina
Military Elite Group Dissolves All Government Bodies Except Parliament
Whereabouts of Impeached Rajoelina Unknown
In the island nation of Madagascar, where anti-government protests led by the younger generation have peaked over the past 19 days, the president has been impeached and a military regime has taken control. According to France’s AFP News Agency, the local parliament on the 14th (local time) rejected President Andry Rajoelina’s order to dissolve the parliament and passed the impeachment with 130 votes in favor out of a total of 163 seats.
Colonel Michael Rantoandroritiina of the elite military organization CAPSATR announced via state radio immediately after the impeachment decision that all state institutions, excluding the parliament, would be dissolved. He stated, “During a transitional period of up to two years, a union of parliament, government, and judiciary will run the country,” and added that “a national referendum for a new constitution will be conducted, and gradually, elections will be held for the establishment of new institutions.”
Known for its ecological diversity and being the world’s largest producer of vanilla, Madagascar has experienced ongoing political instability since gaining independence from France in 1960. According to the World Bank, as of 2022, about 75% of Madagascar’s population lives below the poverty line, making it one of the poorest countries globally.
Rajoelina initially rose to power in 2009, aided by anti-government protests and the CAPSATR, forcing then-President Marc Ravalomanana to step down, and became head of a transitional government. Although he did not run in the 2013 presidential election, he returned to power by winning the 2018 election and was re-elected in 2023.
Protests began on August 25 in various cities, including the capital Antananarivo, led by youth protesting frequent water and power outages. On August 29, Rajoelina dismissed the entire cabinet in an attempt to quell the unrest. However, the protests intensified into a nationwide movement demanding his resignation. On September 11, the CAPSATR unit in the Soanierana region outside Antananarivo declared they would “refuse to open fire” and joined the protestors.
As the CAPSATR unit, followed by the gendarmerie and police, announced their allegiance to the protestors, Rajoelina, on September 13, stated in a national address broadcasted on social media platform Facebook that he had “taken refuge in a safe place to protect his life.” While he vowed to resolve the crisis according to the constitution, he refused to resign. His current whereabouts are unknown. Foreign media have reported, citing sources, that Rajoelina fled abroad on a French military aircraft on the 12th.