Madagascar’s ousted president, Andry Rajoelina, has for the first time confirmed that he fled the country following a military-led takeover that capped weeks of mass protests and plunged the nation into political turmoil.
In a statement released late Wednesday, the presidency said Rajoelina left between October 11 and 12 after receiving “explicit and extremely serious threats” against his life. The threats emerged as he was preparing to travel abroad on an official mission.
According to media reports, the 51-year-old leader was evacuated on Sunday aboard a French military aircraft. On Monday, Rajoelina said he had taken refuge in a “safe place” but declined to provide further details.
Rajoelina, who first seized power through a military-backed coup in 2009, accused the National Assembly of conspiring with the armed forces to oust him.
Military officers announced that their commander, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, will be sworn in as Madagascar’s new president on Friday.
The youth-led Gen Z movement, which launched nationwide protests on September 25 over water and electricity shortages, welcomed Randrianirina’s intervention.
The international community reacted swiftly to the developments. The United Nations condemned the “unconstitutional” power grab, while the African Union announced on Wednesday that Madagascar had been suspended “with immediate effect.”
The upheaval in Madagascar follows a string of military takeovers in former French colonies since 2020, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea.
