Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina announced on Monday, September 29, 2025, the dissolution of his government following three days of intense, youth-led demonstrations against widespread electricity blackouts and water shortages. The protests, which drew inspiration from the “Gen Z” movements in Kenya and Nepal, have become the largest display of dissent on the island nation in years and represent the most serious political challenge to Rajoelina since his re-election in 2023. According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured, though the government disputes these figures.
Speaking in a nationally televised address on Televiziona Malagasy (TVM), Rajoelina acknowledged shortcomings in his administration and apologized to citizens. “We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” he said. The president emphasized that the government must respond to the frustrations of young people, who have spearheaded the movement, and announced that new measures would be taken to support local businesses affected by looting and unrest. He added: “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 demonstrations have shaken Madagascar’s political establishment. Protesters, many of them students and young professionals, gathered at universities carrying placards, chanting slogans, and singing the national anthem before attempting to march into the capital’s city center. Security forces responded with teargas to disperse the crowds, enforcing a dusk-to-dawn curfew that had been imposed the previous week.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the casualties included both demonstrators and bystanders killed by security forces, as well as others who died in subsequent violence and looting carried out by unaffiliated individuals and gangs. Madagascar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, dismissed the UN’s figures, insisting that the data was unreliable and based on “rumors or misinformation,” stressing that only national authorities could confirm casualty numbers.
The protests have drawn parallels with global youth movements. Demonstrators in Madagascar adopted symbols such as a flag that was recently used in Nepal, where public unrest forced the resignation of the prime minister earlier this month. Organizers also relied on digital platforms and social media strategies similar to those seen in Kenya last year, when youth-led protests ultimately pressured the government to abandon controversial tax reforms.
Rajoelina, who first seized power in a 2009 coup before stepping down in 2014, returned to the presidency after winning the 2018 election and secured another term in December 2023. His most recent victory, however, was marred by accusations of irregularities and claims from opposition figures that the process was neither free nor fair. With his leadership now under renewed scrutiny, the president’s decision to dissolve the government underscores the severity of the crisis and signals that he is seeking to defuse public anger while attempting to preserve his political legitimacy.
The unfolding unrest places Madagascar at a crossroads: whether the government can regain public trust by addressing the deep-seated grievances of its youth or whether the protests will intensify into a larger movement demanding more fundamental political change.
