AU Suspends Madagascar After Military Coup

THE African Union (AU) has suspended Madagascar following a military coup that ousted President Andry Rajoelina from power. The continental body said the suspension would remain in place “until constitutional order is restored.”

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, head of an elite army unit, declared himself interim president, announcing that the military will oversee a transitional government for up to two years before fresh elections.

“We are staying for at least 18 months, at most two years,” Randrianirina told the Associated Press.

The coup followed weeks of mass demonstrations led by young citizens under the “Gen Z Madagascar” movement, which demanded better governance, jobs, and access to basic services.

Randrianirina claimed he took power at the request of the High Constitutional Court after President Rajoelina fled “for safety reasons.” He also announced the dissolution of most state institutions — except the lower house of parliament — and said a prime minister would soon be appointed to form a transitional government.

Rajoelina, who had ruled since 2018, denounced the development as an “illegal coup.” Randrianirina, once his ally, was arrested in 2023 for inciting mutiny but was later released with a suspended sentence.

Reactions in the capital, Antananarivo, were mixed, with some crowds celebrating Rajoelina’s ouster while others voiced fears of renewed instability. Analysts have criticised the takeover, warning that what began as a civil youth movement has been “hijacked by the army.”

French President Emmanuel Macron denied reports that France aided Rajoelina’s escape but expressed “deep concern” and reaffirmed France’s support for “the Malagasy people and the restoration of democratic governance.”

Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest nations, has experienced repeated coups since independence in 1960. Endemic poverty and corruption continue to plague the country — its GDP per capita has halved in recent years, and it currently ranks 140th on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.