Gen Z and the coup: Madagascar in turmoil

Another coup in Madagascar is not surprising to most. 75% of the country’s population live in poverty and electricity and water have become luxuries in the tropical island nation. Famed for its biodiversity and natural beauty, Madagascar’s political history is defined by faltering democracy and recurring coups. Having gained independence from France in 1960 Madagascar has not enjoyed political stability; leaders have been assassinated, elections have been rigged, and the military has seized power on multiple occasions.

This has understandably resulted in poor governance and corruption throughout the nation’s political system. More than 50% of Madagascar’s 30 million people are

below the age of 20 and they have been demanding access to basic necessities from their government for years. Having taken to social media to express their disappointment, the country’s youth formed the “Gen Z Madagascar” group which began protesting in the capital Antananarivo in September 2025.

They used social media to organise their protests and spread their message nationwide, which was a challenge the Malagasy government could not effectively address. The movement was not initially focused on political reform, they simply wanted the standard of living to improve, however the realisation that political change was required came quickly.

Madagascar, after Nepal, is the second country this year to see its government toppled by Gen Z, marking a new phenomenon for authoritarian regimes to grapple with. In less digitalised societies social media could become the new battleground between governments and their young opponents as political crackdowns become increasingly difficult.

President Rajoelina faced a month of aggressive protests from the Malagasy youth, which he addressed violently, resulting in the deaths of 22 protestors. This violence gave the elite military unit CAPSAT - which runs the military’s logistics - the opportunity to defect and join the Gen Z protestors, paving the way for them to depose President Rajoelina and take power for themselves. As his military began turning against him President Rajoelina fled the country aboard a French military plane and is now exiled in Dubai.

The commander of CAPSAT, Michael Randrianirina, has taken the position of

President after the country’s Constitutional Court approved his accession. He has

since suspended the court, the country’s electoral commission and the Senate, stoking fear among the previously jubilant protestors that their new leadership will only continue down the same authoritarian path of Rajoelina. One Gen Z protest leader went as far as saying that the Gen Z population will “get back on the streets.” He added that they “did it once; [they] can do it again, if necessary.”

Rajoelina himself first came to power in 2009 as a result of a military coup, ironically, led by CAPSAT. He has since led the country down an autocratic path, with the most recent elections in 2023 being marred by irregularities and interference. Much of the country’s opposition boycotted the election due to the undemocratic practices of the government, and also because Rajoelina holds dual French and Malagasy citizenships, which raises concerns over his constitutional eligibility to serve as President.

Despite this, his position looked unshakeable as his control over the military and other institutions had been cemented. It only took 1 month of intense protests from the Gen Z population for the tide to turn decisively against him, proving the efficacy of online organisation and youth-led movements in developing states.

Being a former French colony, a defining axis of Malagasy politics has always been

alignment with France, and Rajoelina being a French citizen only heightened this tension. Coups have swept across Francophone Africa in the last few years in places like Mali, Guinea, Gabon and others, with anti-French sentiments being at the forefront of many of those movements. In Madagascar, Gen Z protestors have displayed signs with anti-French messages and criticisms of Rajoelina’s close ties with the former colonial power, thus exhibiting the same sentiments that defined the recent coups across Africa.

Madagascar is now at a crossroads; a steady descent into authoritarianism has caused this crisis, but it is unlikely that this Gen Z revolution will lift them out of it.

France remains integral to Madagascar’s economy as it accounts for a sizeable portion of its foreign investment, especially in minerals and vanilla. This however has led to concern that France is exploiting the impoverished nation at the expense of the population, while the political class line their pockets in the process. France’s persistent neocolonial activity across its former colonies have now caught up to it; the youth of Francophone Africa are refusing to tolerate the blatant corruption and exploitation of their political elites.

Madagascar is now at a crossroads; a steady descent into authoritarianism has caused this crisis, but it is unlikely that this Gen Z revolution will lift them out of it. While the protestors celebrated the toppling of President Rajoelina, the initial optimism has quickly faded as CAPSAT has made it clear that civilian rule is not imminent through their dismantling of the state’s core democratic organs. While there can be hope that this historic moment marks a shift back to democracy for Madagascar, it is likely that Gen Z’s efforts for reform will be futile as the Malagasy military reclaims its place at the helm of one of the world’s most disadvantaged countries.

By Lucas Nahal

Image: AP / Brian Inganga