Madagascar’s President, Andry Rajoelina, has reportedly fled the country as anti-government protests intensify and cracks within the nation’s military widen.
Rajoelina, who was expected to deliver a national broadcast on Monday, cancelled the address for the second time amid reports that rebellious soldiers planned to take over the state-run television station. He has not been seen publicly since Wednesday, sparking uncertainty about his location and safety.
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko claimed that the president departed late Sunday after several army units defected to support the growing protest movement.
“We reached out to the presidency, and they confirmed he had left the country,” Randrianasoloniaiko told reporters.
Military sources later told international media that Rajoelina flew out on a French aircraft, following discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The political turmoil deepened as two key allies of the president, former Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and businessman Maminiaiana Ravatomanaga, reportedly travelled to Mauritius, a move confirmed by the island nation’s authorities.
Before leaving, Rajoelina accused certain military officers of plotting a coup with youth protest leaders. Shortly after, the elite CAPSAT regiment announced it had assumed command of the nation’s armed forces.
READ ALSO: Madagascar Youth Take to Streets as Govt Shake-Up Fails to Stop Protests
Over the weekend, images surfaced of soldiers marching alongside demonstrators in the capital, Antananarivo, a stark sign of the military’s shifting loyalties. The protests, initially triggered by fuel and power shortages under the “Gen Z Madagascar” movement, have transformed into a mass uprising against corruption, inflation, and worsening living conditions.
The United Nations estimates that at least 22 people have been killed since the unrest began, though the government disputes that figure.
With the president’s whereabouts still unclear and power struggles intensifying, Madagascar now faces its most severe political crisis in years, raising fears of long-term instability in the island nation.