Antananarivo: Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has dissolved his government following three days of youth-led protests over crippling water and power cuts that left at least 22 people dead and more than 100 injured, according to the United Nations.
The protests, inspired by ‘Gen Z’ movements in Kenya and Nepal, represent the most significant challenge to Rajoelina’s authority since his re-election in December 2023.
Thousands of demonstrators, many dressed in black and calling for his resignation, filled the streets of Antananarivo in the largest demonstrations the country has witnessed in years.
Police responded with heavy force, using teargas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. The UN human rights office said many of the fatalities resulted from the violent response by security forces, while others were linked to looting and gang violence.
In a televised address, Rajoelina apologised for government failures in addressing power outages and water shortages, which have fuelled anger across the Indian Ocean nation.
— UN Madagascar (@UNMadagascar) September 29, 2025
“We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” he said. “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,” he added.
He announced that applications for a new prime minister would be accepted within three days before a new cabinet is formed, pledging dialogue with young people and support for businesses affected by looting.
Protesters have adopted symbols from recent youth uprisings abroad, including flags used in Nepal, where mass demonstrations forced the prime minister to resign earlier this month. Organisers have also mirrored Kenya’s online mobilisation tactics, which last year pressured the government to abandon unpopular tax reforms.
Demonstrators continued to gather this week despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew, waving placards, singing the national anthem, and attempting to march towards the city centre before police dispersed them with teargas.
Rajoelina, who first seized power in a 2009 coup, has long been a polarising figure in Madagascar’s turbulent politics. After stepping down in 2014, he returned to win the presidency in 2018 and secured a third term in 2023 amid allegations of electoral irregularities.
Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest nations, has a history of political unrest dating back to its independence in 1960. Popular uprisings have repeatedly reshaped its leadership, including the 2009 mass protests that ousted then-president Marc Ravalomanana.
