Cynthia Ezegwu
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina on Tuesday dissolved the country’s National Assembly in a move aimed at pre-empting an opposition-led attempt to remove him from office amid escalating political unrest.
The decision, announced through a presidential decree, “shall enter into force immediately upon its publication by radio and/or television broadcast,” the presidency said in a statement posted on Facebook.
The dissolution follows over two weeks of violent protests across the island nation, led mostly by young demonstrators angered by worsening economic conditions and what they describe as government mismanagement. Several people have reportedly been killed in the unrest, which has intensified calls for Rajoelina’s resignation.
Defending his decision, the 51-year-old leader said the measure was necessary to “restore order within our nation and strengthen democracy,” adding that “the people must be heard again — make way for the youth.”
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko had earlier vowed that lawmakers would move to impeach Rajoelina for “desertion of duty” after reports emerged that the president had fled the country.
Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, denied fleeing but confirmed late Monday that he was in a “safe space” following what he described as attempts on his life.
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The protests, which began on September 25, escalated dramatically over the weekend when elements of the military and security forces — including the elite CAPSAT unit that played a key role in Rajoelina’s 2009 coup — joined the demonstrators demanding his resignation.
In an earlier attempt to calm tensions, Rajoelina had dismissed his entire cabinet last month. However, the unrest has persisted, with reports from Radio France Internationale suggesting the embattled president may have left Madagascar aboard a French military plane, though French authorities have yet to confirm the claim.
The situation remains fluid as the Indian Ocean nation faces one of its deepest political crises in years.