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Madagascar: Another government toppled by Gen Z, this time in Africa
Madagascar President flew out of the country on Sunday on a French military aircraft. French radio RFI said he had struck a deal with President Emmanuel Macron.
The GenZ protests have toppled another government, this time in Africa, as Madagascar's president has fled the country, according to the head of the opposition and other officials.
This comes just weeks after another Gen Z protest toppled the government in Nepal.
Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, leader of the opposition in parliament, told Reuters that President Andry Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday after units of the army defected and joined the protesters.
"We called the staff of the presidency and they confirmed that he left the country", he said, adding that Rajoelina's current whereabouts were unknown.
Rajoelina was scheduled to address the nation at 7 PM local time on Monday. The President's office has not commented on his whereabouts as of now.
However, in the first live address since he reportedly fled the country, Andry Rajoelina said on Monday that he was sheltering in a "safe space" after an attempt on his life, reported news agency AFP.
"Since 25 September, there have been attempts on my life and coup attempts. A group of military personnel and politicians planned to assassinate me," he said in a live address.
"I was forced to find a safe place to protect my life," he added.
The Gen Z protests in Madagascar
Youth-led demonstrations erupted on September 25 in the former French colony of Madagascar over water and power shortages, but they quickly escalated into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance, and a lack of basic services.
The anger mirrors recent Gen Z protests against ruling elites in countries including Nepal, where the prime minister was forced to resign last month, and Morocco.
Andry Rajoelina had appeared increasingly isolated after losing the support of CAPSAT, an elite unit which had helped him seize power in a 2009 coup.
CAPSAT joined the protesters over the weekend, saying it refused to shoot at them and escorted thousands of demonstrators in the main square of the capital, Antananarivo.
The unit then announced that it was taking charge of the military and appointed a new army chief, prompting Rajoelina to warn on Sunday of an attempt to seize power in the island nation off the coast of southern Africa.
A faction of the paramilitary gendarmerie supporting the protests also took control of the gendarmerie at a formal ceremony on Monday in the presence of senior government officials, Reuters reported.
According to a statement from the Senate, the body's president —a focus of public anger during the protests—was relieved of his functions, and Jean André Ndremanjary was appointed on a temporary basis.
According to Madagascar's laws, the leader of the Senate takes charge of the country until elections in the president's absence.
