Colonel Randrianirina Sworn in as President of Madagascar
Colonel Michaël Randrianirina was sworn in as the President of Madagascar on Friday, just days after his military unit took power, prompting former leader Andry Rajoelina to flee.
At 51 years old, Randrianirina leads the CAPSAT military unit, which rebelled and joined anti-government protests last weekend. He announced military control on Tuesday following Rajoelina's ousting by the National Assembly.
"Today marks a historic turning point for our country," he stated after taking the oath at a ceremony held at the Constitutional Court in Antananarivo, as noted by AFP journalists.
"We will work hand in hand with all the vital forces of the nation to draft a new Constitution and discuss new electoral laws for organizing elections and referendums," he assured.
He expressed gratitude to the youth of the Gen Z movement for leading the protests and claimed that the military intervened at the request of the Constitutional Court to "prevent anarchy and disorder."
Among the attendees were military officers, politicians, representatives of the Gen Z protest movement, and several foreign delegations, including those from the United States, the European Union, Russia, and France, the former colonial power.
Facing international criticism, including from the UN, the new strongman of Madagascar, who denies any coup d'état, is working to legitimize his takeover.
He promised elections within 18 to 24 months and assured on Thursday that the country would not be run by a military regime, stating that "the government belongs to civilians."
For the Friday ceremony, he exchanged his uniform for a suit and addressed foreign delegations in French, inviting them to "support Madagascar in the process of national rebuilding and implementation."
"We are committed to breaking with the past," he said. "Our primary mission is to deeply reform the administrative, socio-economic, and political governance systems of the country."
"The transition has now begun," noted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot from Nigeria, calling for the "full involvement of civilians in the ongoing process."
The African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) plan to send investigative missions to the island and have called for respect for constitutional democracy.
- The Fleeing Former President -
Supporters of Andry Rajoelina condemned the Constitutional Court's support for the CAPSAT commander, deeming it fraught with procedural irregularities.
They insist that Rajoelina—whose whereabouts remain undisclosed—remains the head of state and is attempting to address the issues facing the impoverished island, especially the water and electricity shortages that sparked youth protests on September 25.
Government forces have been accused of violently repressing demonstrators, with at least 22 reported deaths and hundreds injured according to the UN, until CAPSAT announced on October 11 that it would refuse to fire upon them.
This rebellion marked a turning point, with the unit celebrated by protesters who now hope to play a role in the new administration.
Madagascar is the latest of several former French colonies to fall under military control since 2020, following coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea.
In Madagascar, this represents the third military transition since gaining independence from France in 1960, following coups in 1972 and 2009.
The country, situated off the coast of Mozambique, is one of the poorest in the world despite its wealth of natural resources and rich biodiversity that attracts tourism.
At least 80% of its 32 million inhabitants live on less than 2.80 euros per day, the poverty line set by the World Bank.
Andry Rajoelina is the third Malagasy leader to be ousted and flee the country. Prior to him, Didier Ratsiraka left for France in 2002 after post-election violence, and Marc Ravalomanana fled to South Africa in 2009.
