new delhi, oct 14
After weeks of mass protests, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has fled the country, becoming the latest world leader pushed out amid a wave of Gen Z-driven unrest sweeping across multiple continents, Reuters reported.
The exit–reportedly aboard a French military aircraft–marks the third government collapse, following similar youth-led uprisings in Nepal and Bangladesh. According to Reuters, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, the opposition leader in Madagascar’s parliament, confirmed that Rajoelina left the country on Sunday after parts of the army joined the protesters. “We called the staff of the presidency and they confirmed that he left the country,” he said. Rajoelina’s current location remains unknown. The next day, Rajoelina addressed the nation via a Facebook video, insisting he had relocated to a “safe location” for his own protection. Though he refused to reveal where he was, he appeared defiant, stating, “I will not allow Madagascar to be destroyed.” According to a diplomatic source, Rajoelina has so far refused to resign. Further, military sources stated that the president departed Madagascar, a former French colony, aboard a French Army CASA aircraft on Sunday. French radio outlet RFI reported that the evacuation followed a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron, speaking from Egypt after a Gaza ceasefire summit, said he could not confirm France’s role in Rajoelina’s departure. However, he emphasised that “constitutional order must be preserved in Madagascar,” adding that while France recognises the grievances of the country’s youth, those grievances should not be manipulated by military forces.
According to the military source, the extraction operation was swift. A French Casa aircraft landed at Sainte Marie airport, and minutes later, a helicopter transferred a single passenger–believed to be Rajoelina–onto the plane, as per Reuters.
The protests that triggered Rajoelina’s departure began on September 25, sparked by widespread water and power shortages. However, they quickly evolved into a broader movement fueled by anger over corruption, poor governance, and a lack of basic services. Rajoelina’s grip on power weakened significantly over the weekend when CAPSAT–an elite military unit that had previously helped him seize power in a 2009 coup–sided with the demonstrators. CAPSAT declared it would no longer fire on protesters and instead escorted thousands through the capital, Antananarivo. The unit later announced it was taking control of the military and appointed a new army chief.
