Madagascar soldiers join civilians in protest against government: ‘We responded to the people’s call’

Soldiers from Madagascar’s elite CAPSAT unit joined youth-led demonstrations against the government on Saturday, declaring that they had taken control of the country’s armed forces and installed a new military leader.

The dramatic move by the troops, who said they were “responding to the people’s call,” marks the most serious challenge yet to President Andry Rajoelina’s leadership amid weeks of unrest.

A commander of the unit, Col. Michael Randrianirina, told reporters that they had appointed Gen. Demosthene Pikulas as the new head of the military. Pikulas, who appeared alongside him, declined to say whether they had asked Rajoelina to resign, but the soldiers appeared to be in a position of authority.

Saturday’s protests were among the largest since demonstrations began on 25 September, as tens of thousands took to the streets calling for the president and his ministers to step down. Randrianirina said his troops had exchanged fire with security forces attempting to disperse protesters, resulting in the death of one soldier.

Speaking to crowds from an armoured vehicle, Randrianirina declared that Rajoelina, his new prime minister, the minister of the gendarmerie, and the commander of the gendarmerie “must leave power. That’s all.” He added: “Do we call this a coup? I don’t know yet.”

The protests, led by a youth movement known as “Gen Z Madagascar,” have morphed from grievances over water and electricity shortages into a nationwide uprising against corruption, poverty, and the rising cost of living. The United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured since the unrest began, although the government disputes those figures.

On Sunday, President Rajoelina said an attempted coup was underway, following the soldiers’ announcement. His office gave no details about who was behind the effort, and there were no immediate signs of violence in the capital, Antananarivo, though troops were deployed across key areas.

In a statement, the presidency said the president “wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force” has been “initiated.” It added: “In view of the extreme gravity of this situation, the president’s office strongly condemns this attempt at destabilisation and calls upon all forces of the nation to unite in defence of constitutional order and national sovereignty.”

The CAPSAT unit has a notorious place in Madagascar’s political history — it was the same army division that played a central role in the 2009 coup which first brought Rajoelina to power as head of a transitional government.

Rajoelina, 51, was elected president in 2018 and reelected in 2023 in a poll boycotted by opposition parties. His attempts to quell the current crisis — including dismissing his entire government on 29 September — have failed to calm public anger.

The protests have drawn in trade unions and civic groups, with night-time curfews imposed in Antananarivo and other major cities. The U.N. has criticised the government’s “violent response” in the early stages of the demonstrations, while the African Union has urged all sides to exercise restraint.

As news of Rajoelina’s statement spread, the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar advised its citizens to shelter in place, describing the situation as “highly volatile and unpredictable.”

The Gen Z Madagascar movement, largely mobilised online, says it has been inspired by youth-led uprisings in Nepal and Sri Lanka, framing its struggle as part of a broader push for generational change in one of Africa’s poorest nations.

Madagascar is a large island off the east coast of Africa. It has a population of 31 million people. Since it gained independence from France in 1960, the country has had several leaders removed in coups and has a history of political crises.