ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR – A new and controversial chapter in Malagasy politics opened today as Colonel Michael Randrianirina sworn in as the President of Madagascar, just days after spearheading a military takeover that sent the country’s former leader fleeing into exile.
The swift assumption of power, a culmination of mounting public discontent, has drawn sharp contrasts between internal celebration and widespread international condemnation.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the commander of the elite CAPSAT military unit, formally took the oath of office during a ceremony at the nation’s High Constitutional Court in the capital, Antananarivo.
Trading his military fatigues for a dark suit, the colonel pledged to uphold his new responsibilities before the country’s red-robed judges, with military officers and civilian officials in attendance.
Randrianirina’s ascent to the highest office was remarkably fast, coming only three days after his unit officially announced that the armed forces were seizing control of the Indian Ocean island nation.
His actions followed weeks of sustained, youth-led anti-government protests over issues of poverty, chronic power outages, and corruption.
In his inaugural address, the new leader struck a nationalistic tone, declaring, “Today marks a historic turning point for our country. With people in full fervor, driven by the desire for change and a deep love for their homeland, we joyfully open a new chapter in the life of our nation.” He promised to reform the country’s administrative, socio-economic, and political systems.
The power vacuum that allowed Randrianirina to step forward was created by the tumultuous exit of former President Andry Rajoelina. After weeks of protests, which saw a key turning point when Randrianirina’s CAPSAT unit publicly sided with the demonstrators and refused orders to fire on civilians, Rajoelina fled the country. He claimed he was in hiding due to a plot against his life.
In his absence, Madagascar’s parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina for “desertion of duty” just before the colonel’s public announcement of the military takeover. This sequence of events, Randrianirina insists, means his move was not an illegal coup d’état but a necessary measure a claim bolstered by the High Constitutional Court’s controversial decision to ratify the military’s control.
International Condemnation vs. Public Support
The fallout from the unconstitutional change in power has been immediate on the international stage.
International Condemnation: The United Nations quickly condemned the military takeover, calling for an immediate return to constitutional order and the rule of law. The African Union (AU) followed suit, suspending Madagascar from the regional body with immediate effect and warning of potential sanctions.
Local Support: In stark contrast, the military’s intervention was met with celebration in the streets of Antananarivo, particularly by the “Gen Z Madagascar” movement—the young people who initiated the protests. Randrianirina’s troops were cheered by Malagasy citizens weary of chronic governance failures, viewing the military’s action as a liberation from a corrupt political elite.
Colonel Randrianirina has outlined a timeline for the country’s future, indicating a military-led transitional period. He announced that Madagascar would be governed by a military council for approximately 18 months to two years before new elections could be organized. He emphasized that the ultimate goal is a return to civilian leadership, stating that the transitional government would eventually be headed by a prime minister and composed of a civilian majority.
The international community and the Malagasy public now wait to see if the new leader, who was briefly imprisoned in 2023 for an attempted mutiny against the very president he has now ousted, will keep his promise to deliver a credible return to democracy or if this marks yet another prolonged period of military rule for the nation. FOR MORE INFORMATION, I RECOMMEND SONGBUX.
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