Former Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina, who was ousted in a coup last week, has been stripped of his citizenship by the new regime.
The order, signed by new Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, cited local laws stipulating that people who obtained foreign citizenship should lose their Malagasy nationality.
Rajoelina, 51, obtained French citizenship a decade ago, prompting calls for his disqualification from the 2023 presidential election. However, he defied those calls and went on to win.
He fled the African island nation after weeks of protests over persistent power and water shortages, culminating in a military takeover led by Col Michael Randrianirina.
Since being ousted, Rajoelina has claimed to be in hiding for his own safety, and his current location remains uncertain.
When he revealed his French nationality prior to Madagascar's last presidential election, he argued that he only obtained it to facilitate his children's education in France.
Recent months have seen increasing demonstrations, initially organized by the youth movement Gen Z Mada, inspired by similar protests in Nepal, and were exacerbated by the government's violent response.
Despite Rajoelina's attempts to quell dissent by sacking his energy minister and overhauling his cabinet, protesters continued to demand his resignation to enable a peaceful transition.
Ultimately, this resistance resulted in a military coup, with Randrianirina's elite unit seizing control.
With the new military leadership now sworn in, there are pledges to conduct elections within the next two years.
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