Madagascar is facing a major political upheaval after military leader Michael Randrianirina announced he will soon be sworn in as president, following a coup that ousted President Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina fled the country over the weekend, citing threats to his life, and is now reportedly in Dubai.
Randrianirina, a commander in the elite CAPSAT army unit, said the military has taken control and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament. He confirmed a transitional government, led by the military, will govern for up to two years before new elections are held.
The move comes after widespread youth protests demanding Rajoelina’s resignation and major defections within the security forces, including the paramilitary gendarmerie and police. Randrianirina had previously broken ranks with Rajoelina, urging soldiers not to fire on protesters.
Rajoelina, who first came to power in a 2009 coup at age 34, promised to tackle corruption and improve living standards but struggled to deliver. Madagascar, with a population of 30 million three-quarters living in poverty and an average age below 20 has seen GDP per capita fall nearly 45% since independence in 1960, according to the World Bank.
As the High Constitutional Court invited Randrianirina to serve as president, the African island nation now enters a period of uncertainty under military rule, with citizens and international observers closely watching developments.
