An elite military unit in Madagascar announced on Tuesday that it had seized power, following the impeachment of President Andry Rajoelina by parliament after weeks of anti-government protests. The Corps d'administration des personnels et des services administratifs et techniques (Capsat) declared it had taken control, with Colonel Michael Randrianirina stating that a council of officers would be formed to oversee the presidency and a civilian government would be established.
The announcement came after President Rajoelina, who had been in hiding since Monday, claimed there was an attempt on his life. The presidency issued a statement calling the events an “attempted coup d’état” and insisting that Rajoelina remained in office. However, he has not been seen publicly for several days, with reports suggesting he fled the island on a French military aircraft.
The protests, which began on 25 September over water and electricity shortages, escalated into demands for political reform and the president's resignation. The gendarmerie, a police force under the Ministry of Defence, was accused of killing demonstrators in the early days of the unrest. The United Nations reported 22 deaths, though Rajoelina initially denied any fatalities.
Capsat, which previously brought Rajoelina to power in 2009, shifted allegiance at the weekend, refusing to fire on protesters and calling for unity among security forces. On Sunday, it appointed a new armed forces leader, and the gendarmerie acknowledged “faults and excesses” in its response. The lower house of parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina for desertion of duty, a move the presidency dismissed as legally baseless.
Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries with a GDP per capita of $545, has a history of political instability. Rajoelina, a former DJ, was re-elected in 2023 amid allegations of rigging. The island's natural resources, including vanilla and gems, have been linked to corruption, ranking 140th in Transparency International's corruption index.
