Displaying items by tag: Michael Randrianirina

Madagascar has plunged deeper into political turmoil after Colonel Michael Randrianirina announced that the military was seizing control of the nation, moments after parliament voted to impeach president Andry Rajoelina. He said that the armed forces would form a governing council and appoint a civilian-led government, suspending both the constitution and the constitutional court. The move followed weeks of youth-led protests over widespread poverty, power shortages, and corruption (see): a critical moment came on 11 October, when Colonel Randrianirina and soldiers from his elite CAPSAT unit joined the demonstrators and turned against the president. The crisis evokes painful memories of Madagascar’s history of coups, including the 2009 uprising that first brought Rajoelina to power. With 75% of citizens living in poverty, frustrations among the young have erupted into demands for reform and dignity. As soldiers and protesters fill the streets, Madagascar stands at a crossroads between renewed authoritarian rule and the hope for democratic renewal.