Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The political situation in Madagascar has become increasingly uncertain after the president confirmed a coup attempt, following the joining of more soldiers into the youth-led protest movement.
The crisis marks the toughest challenge for President Andry Rajoelina since his re-election in 2023, and poses a major test for the political stability of Madagascar, which has long been vulnerable to military coups.
Tensions escalated after troops from the elite CAPSAT unit, the military group that helped Rajoelina seize power in 2009, called on the entire army to reject government orders and support the demonstrators.
In a statement on Sunday, CAPSAT officers said they had now taken over control of national security operations and would coordinate all military branches from their headquarters on the outskirts of the capital Antananarivo.
They also announced the appointment of General Demosthene Pikulas, a former head of the military academy, as the new army chief of staff.
“We no longer recognize leadership that uses power to oppress the people,” said one of the officers in a broadcast broadcast by local media, as reported by ReutersMonday (13/10/2025).
Not only the army, some gendarmerie troops, paramilitary police who were previously tasked with dispersing protests together with the police, also chose to defect and refuse government orders.
“All forms of violence against our citizens are prohibited. The Gendarmerie is a force to protect the people, not to defend the interests of a few people,” said the official statement of the Intervention Forces of the National Gendarmerie which was broadcast on Real TV.
The unit added that they are now coordinating directly with CAPSAT headquarters.
On the other hand, Rajoelina’s presidential office stated via social media that “an attempt to take power illegally and forcefully” was underway. The president, the statement said, called for “dialogue to resolve the crisis.”
However, Rajoelina’s whereabouts were unknown as of Sunday evening, and many residents believed he had left the country.
On Saturday evening, the president’s office still insisted that Rajoelina and the prime minister were “completely in control of government affairs.”
The wave of protests in Madagascar, which began on September 25, was initially sparked by a water and electricity crisis, but quickly turned into calls for Rajoelina’s ouster.
This demonstration was led by the younger generation, inspired by the Gen Z movement in Kenya and Nepal, as well as youth movements in Indonesia and Peru. The demonstrators demanded that Rajoelina resign, apologize for violence against protesters, and dissolve the Senate and election commission.
On Independence Avenue, Antananarivo’s main street, thousands of people took to the streets again on Sunday waving national flags and chanting anti-government slogans.
Demonstrators also paid tribute to a CAPSAT soldier who died on Saturday in clashes with the gendarmerie. The ceremony was attended by church leaders, opposition figures including former president Marc Ravalomanana, as well as CAPSAT members.
Some protest participants wore T-shirts and waved flags depicting a skull in a straw hat, a symbol from the Japanese manga series One Piecewhich is also used by youth movements in various countries.
(luc/luc)
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
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