Madagascar‘s Military Announces Control of Country
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar – On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, Madagascar’s armed forces declared they had taken control of the country, moving to assert authority after a period of public unrest. Troops loyal to Colonel Michael Randrianirina,commander of the CAPSAT military unit,converged on the Presidential Palace in the capital,Antananarivo,to announce the military’s assumption of power.
The move follows mounting discontent with the leadership of President Andry Rajoelina, adn the military is attempting to frame the intervention not as a coup, but as a response to popular demand. The situation raises questions about the future of democracy in Madagascar,a nation with a history of political instability,and its impact on regional alliances and international aid. While the military has stated intentions to transition back to civilian rule, the immediate implications for Madagascar’s 30 million citizens remain uncertain.
Some Madagascans who had been participating in protests expressed support for the military intervention, viewing it as a removal of an unpopular leader. “The army is the only neutral institution that can get us back on track,” Sariaka, a protester, told NPR. When asked if she would characterize the events as a coup d’état, she responded, “to me it’s a popular revolution supported by a military unit.”
Fanilo, a 21-year-old medical student, echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are all deeply relieved and even thrilled by his removal from office. We are not oppressed any more.” He expressed confidence in the current military leadership, adding, “not really because the current military leadership is in very good hands … especially as they plan to hand back power to a civilian government afterwards.”
The takeover comes amid a backdrop of political and economic challenges in Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest nations. The island nation has experienced frequent political crises as gaining independence from France in 1960, including coups and contested elections.
Brian Inganga/AP photo shows troops loyal to CAPSAT military unit commander Col. Michael Randrianirina en route to the Presidency to announce the armed forces’ control of the country in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.
