Madagascar’s political crisis took a dramatic turn on Monday, October 13, after reports emerged that President Andry Rajoelina fled the country amid growing anti-government protests and a military uprising. According to French state radio RFI, the president, who also holds French citizenship, was flown out of Antananarivo on a French military aircraft following a deal with President Emmanuel Macron. Sources suggest Rajoelina may have headed to Dubai shortly before he was expected to address the nation.
The president, 51, was first in power from 2009 to 2014 before returning to office in 2023. His administration has faced increasing criticism over corruption, poverty, and worsening living conditions. The tension escalated after he lost the backing of an elite military unit, which joined a youth-led movement known as “Gen Z Madagascar.” The group had refused calls for dialogue, demanding his immediate resignation instead.
Mass protests swept through Antananarivo, with crowds filling the square in front of city hall waving national flags and chanting slogans. Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers from the elite Capsat unit, which had helped Rajoelina seize power in 2009, joined the demonstrators. Members of the gendarmerie, accused of using excessive force during earlier protests, released a video admitting to “faults and excesses” in handling the demonstrations.
The United Nations confirmed that at least 22 people were killed in the initial days of unrest, though Rajoelina dismissed the figure, insisting there were only 12 deaths, all of whom he described as “looters and vandals.” The unrest was triggered by the arrest of two opposition politicians on September 19, accused of organizing a protest over recurring power and water shortages.
On Saturday, October 11, members of the Capsat unit posted a video online calling for solidarity among the armed forces. They urged soldiers, gendarmes, and police to “refuse orders to shoot at our brothers and sisters,” declaring they would no longer follow commands that endangered civilians. The situation remains tense, with the president’s whereabouts uncertain and the country on edge over what comes next.
