Madagascar - September 2025

On 29 September, Madagascar’s president Andry Rajoelina announced that he had dismissed his government in response to the demands of youth-led protesters, who had taken to the streets to call for an end to power cuts, water shortages and corruption. Mobilised on social media by a movement calling itself ‘Gen Z’ and inspired by similar movements in Nepal and Indonesia, the protests began in the capital, Antananarivo, on 25 September and are thought to have been the biggest in the country in several years. While initially peaceful, the UN reported that 22 people had been killed during the demonstrations as a result of violence perpetrated by the police (protesters were beaten and shot with teargas and live ammunition) and by looters not associated with the protesters. The UN figures were disputed by the government. In October, President Rajoelina fled the country and a military unit seized control, after siding with the protesters, who had called for Rajoelina’s resignation.     

 Sources: Midi-Madagasikara, The Africa Report, The Economist, United Nations, Al Jazeera, Africa Confidential