Madagascar Colonel Michael Randrianirina Sworn in Amid Military Power Grab

Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina was inaugurated as Madagascar's interim president on October 17, 2025, days after a military intervention ousted former President Andry Rajoelina, marking the Indian Ocean nation's third military transition since independence in 1960. The 51-year-old commander of the elite CAPSAT army unit, who led a mutiny alongside anti-government protesters, exchanged his military uniform for a suit during the swearing-in at the Constitutional Court, attended by military officers, politicians, Gen Z youth representatives, and foreign delegations from the United States, the European Union, Russia, and France. Randrianirina framed the event as a "historic turning point", vowing comprehensive reforms to address chronic governance failures in one of the world's poorest nations, where 80% of the 32 million population lives below the poverty line despite abundant natural resources and biodiversity.

Randrianirina, backed by the Constitutional Court following Rajoelina's impeachment for alleged desertion of duty, emphasised collaboration with national stakeholders to overhaul administrative, socio-economic, and political systems. "We will work hand in hand with all the driving forces of the nation to draft a fine constitution... and to agree on new electoral laws," he declared, committing to consultations with youth leaders before appointing a new government. The upheaval stemmed from month-long protests ignited by persistent power outages and water shortages, which escalated into a widespread youth-led movement demanding Rajoelina's resignation. CAPSAT's refusal to fire on demonstrators on October 11 proved pivotal, shifting momentum and prompting the military's power seizure to "avoid anarchy", as Randrianirina described it. Addressing international envoys in French, he invited their support for "national renewal", highlighting meetings with a Russian delegation the previous day and asserting respect for Madagascar's sovereignty.

Rajoelina, a 51-year-old former DJ who seized power in a 2009 coup and won elections in 2018 and 2023 amid fraud allegations, fled the country over the October 11-12 weekend, citing safety fears. His office confirmed the departure, with reports indicating evacuation via a French military plane to Réunion Island, then onwards to Dubai. Supporters decried the Constitutional Court's endorsement as procedurally flawed, insisting Rajoelina remains the legitimate leader and is seeking solutions from exile. The government forces' earlier crackdown on protesters reportedly caused deaths and injuries, fuelling outrage that propelled the uprising. The events echo Madagascar's turbulent history, including the 1972 socialist revolution and Rajoelina's own 2009 overthrow of Marc Ravalomanana, amid a wave of military coups across former French colonies in Africa since 2020, from Mali to Gabon.

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The international response has been cautious, with the African Union and Southern African Development Community announcing fact-finding missions to uphold constitutional democracy. Regional blocs condemned the power grab while urging restraint, reflecting concerns over instability in a biodiversity hotspot vulnerable to climate change and illegal logging. Locally, sentiments are mixed: Shopkeeper Faniry Randrianaridoa expressed cautious optimism outside the court, telling AFP, "We're happy to hope for change... It's not a whim to want water and electricity." As Randrianirina prioritises reforms, including electoral timelines, the youth movement—credited with galvanising the protests—eyes influential roles. This transition tests Madagascar's fragile institutions, with success hinging on inclusive governance to avert further unrest and attract foreign aid, potentially reshaping the island's trajectory in a coup-prone region.

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