Madagascar’s constitutional court has declared President Andry Rajoelina’s seat vacant, naming Colonel Michael Randrianirina, commander of the elite army unit CAPSAT, as the country’s new leader amid escalating political turmoil.
The move follows reports that President Rajoelina fled the country on Sunday after parts of the military defected to join weeks of youth-led demonstrations against his government.
Rajoelina, who had earlier warned of what he described as a plot to seize power illegally, faced a major political blow on Tuesday when lawmakers in parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach him.
He rejected the move, calling it “null and void”. However, within hours, Colonel Randrianirina announced that CAPSAT which stands for Corps d’Administration et des Services de l’Armée de Terre had assumed full control of the country’s armed forces and the government.
Randrianirina declared himself the new head of state, saying CAPSAT was taking control “to restore order and stability.”
The new military leader said he was suspending key constitutional institutions including the Senate, the Constitutional Court, and the Electoral Commission while leaving the lower house of parliament in place.
When asked about elections, Randrianirina said they would be held within “18 months to two years,” adding that young protesters would play a role in shaping the transition.
“The movement was created in the streets, so we have to respect their demands,” he said.
Despite the military’s suspension of the Constitutional Court, the same court issued a statement declaring Rajoelina’s seat vacant and confirming Randrianirina as interim leader. The court also instructed him to organise elections within 60 days, in line with the country’s constitution.
The apparent contradiction has deepened uncertainty in the Indian Ocean nation, which has experienced multiple coups since gaining independence from France in 1960.
Rajoelina, 50, first seized power in a 2009 coup before being elected president in 2018. His leadership had been marked by relative stability until recent weeks, when protests led by young people erupted over alleged corruption, poor governance, and rising economic hardship.
The unfolding events mark one of the most serious political crises in Madagascar in over a decade, with questions now mounting over who truly holds power he court or the military.