Madagascar: A Year After Madagascar's Gen Z Protests and Rajoelina's Ouster, Little Promised Change

A year after Madagascar's Gen Z protesters ousted former president Andry Rajoelina, the country's military-backed transition has failed to fulfill its promise of political "refoundation," according to youth activists. On October 12, 2025, after 18 days of demonstrations triggered by persistent water and electricity shortages, Rajoelina resigned and departed for Dubai on a French military aircraft.

The military subsequently installed Colonel Michael Randrianirina as President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar, vowing to conduct elections within two years. However, activists like Mihary Rakotondravelo, a prominent Gen Z organizer, contend that the promised changes remain elusive. Rakotondravelo's group participates in national consultation committees drafting a new constitution, yet basic demands are yet to be addressed.

The military government has promised to finalize the new constitution before the scheduled presidential elections in late 2027, with proposals to be presented in May and put to a referendum as per a timeline announced following a request from the SADC regional bloc for a return to constitutional normalcy. Despite his ousting, Rajoelina maintains a low profile in exile, garnering few supporters in Madagascar.

Most of his MPs have defected to support the military, while his previous allies have either fled the country or been imprisoned. Rajoelina has evaded prosecution, although the Court of Accounts revealed the misappropriation of public resources for his inner circle, yet the Parliament did not vote to impeach him. AllAfrica, a news aggregator, reports on various positions related to Madagascar's political situation.