MADAGASCAR PROTESTERS RALLY AGAINST GOVERNMENT FOR THIRD WEEK

Mon 06 October 2025:

Anti-government protests intensified in Madagascar on Monday, marking the third consecutive week of unrest, as crowds in the capital, Antananarivo, demanded the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina. Police responded by firing tear gas at demonstrators, many of whom were university students, according to a Reuters reporter on the scene.

The protests, initially sparked by widespread water and electricity shortages, have grown into a broader expression of discontent with Rajoelina’s administration. Rallies have spread beyond the capital to cities like Toliara and Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), where local television broadcasts showed police clashing with protesters.

The escalating unrest highlights deepening public frustration with the government’s handling of critical issues across the country.

A government spokesperson told Reuters that attempts to engage demonstrators have been repeatedly rebuffed.

“Unfortunately, despite our efforts, no clear or structured leadership has emerged to engage in constructive talks,” the spokesperson said.

Rajoelina has previously rejected calls for his resignation and accused those calling for him to step down of wanting to “destroy our country”.

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The United Nations said on Monday that 22 people have been killed since the protests began, and more than 100 people have been injured, figures rejected by the government.

The protests against Rajoelina’s government began on September 25 in the capital, with thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets and erecting barricades with rocks and tyres.

They were organised by Gen Z Madagascar, a social media youth group describing itself as a “peaceful, civic movement”. Organisers say they have taken inspiration from youth-led movements in Nepal and Morocco.

About a third of Madagascar’s 30 million people have access to electricity, according to the International Monetary Fund. Daily power cuts often exceed eight hours, and Jirama, the state energy company, has been accused of corruption and mismanagement, fuelling public anger.

“People don’t have refrigeration for medication, don’t have water for basic hygiene, and then there’s massive corruption,” Ketakandriana Rafitoson, the global vice chair of Transparency International, told Reuters.

“These protests were triggered by visceral grievances that go to the heart of daily life.”

The protests turned chaotic as unrest spread through Antananarivo after police employed tear gas and rubber bullets. Shops were ransacked, and the homes of some lawmakers were damaged.

In response to the first night of protests, authorities instituted an overnight curfew to prevent people from gathering in the evenings.

Several demonstrations have taken place since and have grown into a movement more broadly channeling public discontent with the performance of Rajoelina’s government.

Rajoelina, 51, came to power in a 2009 military coup, having himself campaigned for reform. He briefly stepped down in 2014 but was elected in 2018.

A former DJ and media tycoon, he now faces the biggest challenge to his rule in years, experts say. Last week, Rajoelina sacked his cabinet in an attempt to appease the protesters.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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