Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has dissolved his government following days of youth-led protests demanding an end to chronic water and electricity shortages.
“We acknowledge and apologise if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” Rajoelina said in a televised national address on Monday.
The demonstrations, dubbed the “Gen Z protests,” have drawn thousands of mostly young people onto the streets in Antananarivo and other cities since Thursday, chanting: “We want to live, not survive.”
The United Nations condemned what it described as the “unnecessary force” used by security forces to suppress the unrest, reporting at least 22 deaths and 100 injuries. Madagascar’s foreign ministry rejected the UN figures, insisting they were “based on rumours or misinformation.”
Initially sparked in the capital, the protests spread rapidly to eight cities across the country. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in Antananarivo after reports of violence and looting, with police using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk said he was “shocked” by the crackdown, alleging arrests, beatings, and even live ammunition had been used against demonstrators. “I urge the security forces to desist from the use of unnecessary and disproportionate force and to immediately release all arbitrarily detained protesters,” he said.
The UN added that casualties included both protesters and bystanders killed by security forces, as well as others caught in violence and looting carried out by individuals not linked to the demonstrations.
Last week, Rajoelina dismissed his energy minister for failing to address the country’s worsening outages, but the move did little to calm public anger. Protesters demanded that the president and his cabinet resign altogether.
“I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems,” Rajoelina said in his address. He confirmed he had “terminated the functions of the prime minister and the government,” adding that applications for a new premier would be received over the next three days. The current ministers will remain in place on an interim basis until a new government is formed.
Rajoelina also said he intended to open dialogue with young people, a move aimed at defusing tensions. At one protest, a banner read: “We don’t want trouble, we just want our rights.”
Some reports suggested protesters torched the homes of at least two legislators, though the “Gen Z” movement claimed hired thugs were responsible for the destruction in an effort to discredit their cause.
Madagascar has a history of political upheaval since its independence in 1960, including mass protests in 2009 that forced former president Marc Ravalomanana to step down and brought Rajoelina to power. The current unrest marks the most significant challenge to his rule since he secured a third term in 2023.
