Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, has refused to resign despite growing pressure from a nationwide youth-led protest movement demanding his exit from power.
The demonstrations, which have rocked the capital Antananarivo and other parts of the country since September 25, accuse the president of poor governance and failure to provide essential services such as water and electricity.
On Friday, protesters returned to the streets after a brief pause in demonstrations, giving Rajoelina 24 hours to meet their demands or face intensified action. The rallies, driven largely by a movement known as “Gen Z,” have spread to several cities including Mahajanga, Toliara, and Fianarantsoa.
Security forces responded with tear gas to disperse the crowds in Antananarivo.The United Nations reports that at least 22 people have died since the unrest began.
Despite mounting anger, Rajoelina dismissed the calls for his resignation, alleging that certain politicians were exploiting the protests to destabilise the country and plotting a coup attempt while he attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a televised address, the president appealed for calm and invited dialogue, saying he remained open to finding solutions to the nation’s problems.
Earlier in the week, he dissolved his cabinet in a move seen as an attempt to ease tension and show willingness to engage with dissenting groups.
Meanwhile, Madagascar’s foreign minister, Rasata Rafaravavitafika, claimed the country was under a coordinated cyberattack allegedly launched from abroad.
She said the digital campaign aimed to manipulate public sentiment and that certain opportunistic groups had infiltrated the protests to fuel instability.
Madagascar, home to over 32 million people, remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with three-quarters of its population living below the poverty line.
Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, first took power in 2009 after a coup that ousted then-President Marc Ravalomanana. He later returned to office through elections in 2018 and was re-elected in 2023.
As tensions rise, the Gen Z movement insists it will not back down until the president steps aside, raising fears of further confrontation between security forces and protesters in the coming days.