Madagascar Set to Swear In Army Colonel as President After Power Takeover
Madagascar was set on Friday to swear in an army colonel as president, just days after a dramatic military takeover that forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the international community.
The country’s top court was expected to officially confirm Colonel Michael Randrianirina as president during a ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m. (0700 GMT), marking the climax of a week of political upheaval. Rajoelina had been impeached on Tuesday for “abandoning his post,” paving the way for the military to step in.
Despite widespread concern from bodies like the United Nations, Randrianirina insisted that his rise to power was not the result of a coup, stressing that the constitutional court had endorsed his new position.
A large crowd gathered outside the court for the swearing-in, which drew politicians, civil society groups, and members of the youth-led movement whose protests triggered Rajoelina’s downfall. Delegates from the United States, the European Union, and France were also in attendance, according to AFP.
Randrianirina, 51, commands the elite CAPSAT military unit and has pledged to hold elections within 18 to 24 months. He told local media that talks were ongoing to select a “consensus prime minister.”
“Madagascar has not chosen a military regime,” he told journalists on Thursday. “The government belongs to civilians, and the presidential council includes both civilian and military members.”
However, Rajoelina’s allies have rejected the court’s endorsement of Randrianirina, accusing it of procedural irregularities and warning that the move could destabilize the country. They maintain that Rajoelina remains the legitimate leader and had been working on resolving the country’s challenges — including the electricity shortages that sparked the youth protests on September 25.
Security forces had been accused of violently suppressing the demonstrations, which left several people dead and many injured. The situation shifted dramatically when CAPSAT announced on October 11 that it would no longer obey orders to shoot protesters. That decision turned the tide in the uprising, earning the unit widespread praise from demonstrators who are now seeking a role in the transitional government.
Rajoelina’s office confirmed on Wednesday that he had fled the country, citing threats to his life. Though his exact location remains undisclosed, reports suggest he was airlifted by a French military plane to the nearby French island of Réunion before flying to Dubai.
Madagascar now joins a growing list of African nations — including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea — that have experienced military takeovers since 2020. It is also the island nation’s third military-led transition since independence from France in 1960, following coups in 1972 and 2009.
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Despite its wealth of natural resources and biodiversity, Madagascar remains one of the poorest countries in the world, with about 80 percent of its 32 million citizens living in poverty, according to the World Bank.
Rajoelina’s flight marks the third time a Malagasy president has fled after being ousted. Didier Ratsiraka went into exile in France in 2002, while Marc Ravalomanana fled to South Africa in 2009.
Both the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have announced plans to send fact-finding missions to Madagascar and have urged a swift return to constitutional order.
“The transition is now underway,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot during a visit to Nigeria on Thursday. “We call for full civilian participation in this process. The voices of Madagascar’s youth must be heard in building a peaceful and lasting solution.”
