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Supporters and opponents of Madagascar’s embattled government were set to hold rival demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo, on Saturday, following deadly youth-led protests that President Andry Rajoelina has described as an attempted coup.
The demonstrations, inspired by similar youth movements in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Indonesia, have been driven by widespread anger over poor governance. Organised by the online-based movement Gen Z Mada, protesters have been calling for Rajoelina’s resignation amid growing discontent.
According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds injured during the unrest — a figure the government has dismissed as “rumours or misinformation.”
Anti-government demonstrators were expected to gather in central Antananarivo, where security forces have deployed heavily and erected roadblocks. Meanwhile, government supporters planned their own rally — the first of its kind — at the Coliseum, a Roman-style amphitheatre inaugurated by Rajoelina after he was installed in power by the military in 2009 following a popular uprising.
Hundreds of government loyalists were seen heading to the venue, while AFP journalists reported similar marches by students in the northern city of Antsiranana.
Rajoelina, who has refused to step down, shared footage on Saturday of a meeting with trade union representatives. The 51-year-old former mayor of Antananarivo had said on Friday that he was ready to “listen to find solutions to problems facing the poor island nation.” He also condemned what he called “an attempt to topple” his government, though he did not identify those allegedly responsible.
The protests, fuelled by anger over persistent water and electricity shortages, prompted Rajoelina to dismiss his government on Monday — a move that has done little to ease public outrage.
Beginning on 25 September, the unrest marks Madagascar’s most serious political crisis since the country gained independence from France in 1960, posing the biggest challenge to Rajoelina’s leadership since his re-election in 2023.
On Friday, the Gen Z Mada movement demanded to be “consulted and heard” in the appointment of a new prime minister and called for an investigation into the police response to the protests.
“We are giving the president 24 hours to respond favourably to these demands,” the group declared, vowing to take “all necessary measures” if their requests were ignored.
Rajoelina first seized power in 2009 after a coup that toppled then-President Marc Ravalomanana. Despite Madagascar’s wealth of natural resources, it remains among the world’s poorest nations, with nearly three-quarters of its 32 million citizens living below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank. Corruption also remains endemic, with the country ranked 140th out of 180 on Transparency International’s global index.
