Madagascar’s political crisis has worsened after President Andry Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the National Assembly on Tuesday, a move that has intensified tensions with protesters and parts of the military amid reports that he has fled the country.
The announcement, made through a decree shared on Facebook, claimed that Rajoelina had consulted with leaders of both the National Assembly and the Senate, although questions remain about the decree’s legality. “This decree shall enter into force immediately upon its publication by radio and/or television broadcast,” the statement read.
Rajoelina later addressed the nation from an undisclosed location on Monday, rejecting calls to resign despite weeks of youth-led demonstrations demanding his departure. “The People must be heard again. Make way for the youth,” he said in a social media post defending the dissolution as a step to “restore order and strengthen democracy.”
The protests, which began on September 25, have grown increasingly violent, with several people killed in confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. The unrest escalated over the weekend when mutinous soldiers, including members of the elite CAPSAT unit, joined the protesters. CAPSAT is the same unit that played a central role in the 2009 coup that first brought Rajoelina to power.
Opposition leader Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko had threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Rajoelina, accusing him of deserting his duties after reports surfaced that he had fled Madagascar. The president later admitted he was in a “safe space” due to alleged threats against his life but refused to reveal his location.
In an earlier attempt to calm tensions, Rajoelina dismissed his entire cabinet last month, promising reforms to address public grievances. However, the move failed to stop the protests, which have since spread across the capital and other major cities.
Reports suggest that Rajoelina may have left the country aboard a French military aircraft over the weekend, though French authorities have not confirmed this.
By dissolving parliament, analysts say Rajoelina may be seeking to block an impending impeachment vote that could have removed him from office, deepening political instability in the island nation already struggling with economic hardship and social unrest.
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