Madagascar's president has announced he will dissolve his government following days of youth-led protests over chronic water and power outages. President Andry Rajoelina delivered an address acknowledging the failures of his government and apologized to the public, stating, We acknowledge and apologize if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them.
The protests, dubbed the Gen-Z movement, have seen thousands take to the streets across Madagascar, rallying under the slogan, We want to live, not survive. These demonstrations escalated significantly beginning last Thursday, with high tensions and calls for substantive change. The UN's human rights chief condemned the violent responses from security forces, which have resulted in at least 22 deaths and 100 injuries due to police action against protesters.
While the UN reported these fatalities, Madagascar's foreign ministry contested the figures, claiming they were based on misinformation. Protests initially erupted in the capital, Antananarivo, but rapidly spread to eight cities. Police enforcement measures, including rubber bullets and tear gas, led to a dusk-to-dawn curfew being imposed in the capital.
Rajoelina's decision comes after protests intensified over a perceived lack of accountability within the government, exacerbated by recent cuts to essential services. In response, he stated that he would accept applications for a new prime minister in the coming days and emphasized his intention to hold discussions with the youth to address their grievances.
This unrest marks the most significant challenge Rajoelina has faced since securing his third election victory in 2023. Historical precedents of civil unrest in Madagascar highlight the deep-rooted issues that continue to impact governance in the country.
