Frontier Eye Desk
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina fled the country on Sunday aboard a French military aircraft, opposition officials confirmed, following weeks of mass protests and a sudden military mutiny. His dramatic departure — reportedly facilitated through last-minute talks with French President Emmanuel Macron — has plunged the island nation into political uncertainty and prompted the African Union (AU) to convene an emergency session.
Rajoelina, who was expected to deliver a national address at 7 p.m. local time, abruptly postponed his speech amid reports of an “illegal power grab” by mutinous soldiers. The elite CAPSAT commando unit — the same force that backed his 2009 takeover — declared its support for demonstrators earlier in the day, pledging not to fire on civilians and threatening to seize the state broadcaster.
“An attempt to seize power illegally and by force is underway,” the president’s office said in a brief statement, without offering evidence.
The uprising, led primarily by Madagascar’s Gen Z youth, began on September 25 and has grown into a nationwide movement denouncing corruption, unemployment, and chronic shortages of electricity and water. Demonstrators accused Rajoelina of entrenching authoritarian rule over his 15-year leadership and mocked him as a “French puppet” — a reference to his alleged dual French citizenship, which violates the country’s constitution.
Security forces responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, leaving several people injured. Videos shared on social media showed jubilant crowds chanting “Rajoelina out!” as they celebrated his flight to Paris, fueling anti-French sentiment that quickly spread across social platforms across Africa.
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, head of the Se Drieda party, confirmed Rajoelina’s departure and hailed the military’s defection as a victory for the people.
“The people have spoken, and the army has listened. It’s time for a new chapter,” Randrianasoloniaiko told reporters, calling for calm as celebrations broke out in Antananarivo.
No interim administration has yet been announced. Prime Minister Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, appointed only days ago in a failed bid to quell unrest, urged restraint in a televised address late Sunday night.
Hours before his evacuation, Rajoelina reportedly signed presidential pardons for two French nationals — Paul Rafanoharana, a French-Malagasy businessman, and Philippe François, a retired French army colonel — who had been convicted in 2021 of plotting to overthrow his government. Both had received lengthy prison sentences for the failed coup attempt.
Critics condemned the pardons as evidence of a quid pro quo for France’s assistance in his escape.
“This is the ultimate sellout,” tweeted activist Sy Marcus Herve Traore, alluding to Rajoelina’s rumored French passport.
France, Madagascar’s former colonial ruler, denied allegations of interference, insisting that the evacuation was carried out solely for “security reasons.” Rajoelina’s current location remains unknown, though unconfirmed reports suggest he may have stopped in Dubai en route to Europe.
Home to nearly 31 million people, Madagascar has long battled poverty, corruption, and natural disasters. The latest crisis echoes youth-driven uprisings in Sri Lanka and Kenya, where economic hardship and disillusionment with entrenched political elites sparked mass protests.
As the AU Peace and Security Council meets in Addis Ababa to deliberate on the unfolding crisis, analysts warn that the power vacuum could trigger instability across the Indian Ocean island — a fragile democracy now once again confronting the ghosts of its 2009 coup.
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