Madagascar President Rajoelina Says His Government Faces Coup Attempt

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has claimed that there is an “attempt to seize power illegally” underway, following reports that some soldiers have joined anti-government demonstrators in the capital, Antananarivo.

In a statement released by the Presidency on Sunday, October 12, 2025, Rajoelina said there was “an effort to take power by force, in violation of the Constitution and democratic principles.”

The tension comes as sections of the military have sided with thousands of Gen-Z protesters who have been on the streets for weeks, denouncing police brutality and chronic shortages of electricity and water.

On Saturday, newly appointed Prime Minister Ruphin Zafisambo said the government remained “firmly in control” but was “ready to engage in dialogue with the youth, civil organizations, and the armed forces.”

The Presidency confirmed that Rajoelina remains in the country and “continues to oversee state affairs,” even as the unrest intensifies.

Saturday’s demonstrations were the most violent since protests began on September 25, with protesters demanding sweeping political reforms.

According to figures released by the United Nations, at least 22 people have been killed and over 100 injured since the start of the unrest. However, Rajoelina disputed those numbers, insisting that “only 12 people have died.”

Meanwhile, members of the CAPSAT battalion, based in the Soanierana region, reportedly deserted their camp, urging fellow security forces to “refuse orders to shoot civilians” and condemning the government’s use of force against demonstrators.

The same battalion was instrumental in the 2009 mutiny that ousted then-President Marc Ravalomanana and brought Rajoelina to power for the first time.

Madagascar, which has struggled with six decades of political instability, has seen nearly every election since independence marred by controversy. Rajoelina’s victories in 2018 and 2023 were both criticized by opposition groups and international observers for alleged irregularities and manipulation.