Madagascar has been thrown into political turmoil after President Andry Rajoelina dissolved his government on Monday, September 29, 2025.
The decision followed days of youth-led protests over water shortages and power cuts that have left at least 22 people dead and more than 100 injured, according to the United Nations.
The demonstrations, inspired by “Gen Z” movements in Kenya and Nepal, are the largest in years and mark the most serious challenge to Rajoelina since his re-election in 2023.
Protesters accuse the government of mismanagement and failing to address basic needs like electricity and clean water.
In a televised speech on state broadcaster TVM, Rajoelina apologized for the failures of his administration.
“We acknowledge and apologize if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” he said.
He promised dialogue with young people and pledged support for businesses affected by looting during the unrest.
“I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems. I heard the call, I felt the suffering, I understood the impact on daily life,” the president added.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights confirmed the death toll, stating that victims included protesters and bystanders killed by security forces, as well as others caught in violence and looting by gangs.
However, Madagascar’s foreign ministry dismissed the UN’s figures as unverified and based on “rumors or misinformation.”
On Monday, protesters once again gathered at the University of Antananarivo.
Waving placards and singing the national anthem, they attempted to march toward the city center before police fired tear gas to disperse them.
A dusk-to-dawn curfew remains in place.
The protesters have also adopted symbols from youth movements abroad, including a flag used in Nepal where protests forced a prime minister to resign this month.
Much of their mobilization has been driven by online organizing, echoing last year’s demonstrations in Kenya that pressured the government to withdraw a controversial tax bill.
Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, first came to power through a coup in 2009.
He stepped down in 2014, returned as president in 2018, and won a third term in December 2023 in a poll opponents claimed was marred by irregularities.
The crisis now raises questions about his grip on power as frustration among Madagascar’s young population deepens.
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