An elite military unit in Madagascar announced Wednesday it has seized power from President Andry Rajoelina, amid a political crisis sparked by the president’s attempt to dissolve parliament. The move follows escalating tensions as lawmakers prepared to vote on an impeachment motion against Rajoelina.
The takeover throws the future of the Indian Ocean island nation into uncertainty, impacting its 30 million citizens and potentially disrupting international partnerships. Madagascar has experienced political instability in the past, including a coup in 2009, and this latest development raises concerns about democratic governance and economic stability. The military’s stated aim is to restore order and prevent further political deadlock,but the international community is highly likely to condemn the unconstitutional change in power.
Prior to the announcement, Rajoelina took to X, formerly Twitter, to address an ongoing energy crisis. “In order to increase energy production in Madagascar and address the electricity difficulties faced by our fellow citizens,I am currently overseeing the reception of new production units. These facilities will enhance the national energy capacity,” he wrote in a post timestamped 16:08 BST.
In a subsequent post, shared as parliament prepared to vote, Rajoelina stated he was “following up with several official visits planned to friendly countries, members of [the regional body] Sadc, before returning home to personally oversee the commissioning of these facilities.”
Rajoelina’s whereabouts are currently unknown. He had previously attempted to dissolve the national assembly, the lower house of parliament, before the impeachment vote. As of Wednesday, the president had not commented on the military’s actions.
