Madagascar's president has left the country after Gen Z protests, officials say

By Tim Cocks

ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) -Madagascar's president has fled the African nation, the head of the opposition and other officials said on Monday, the second time that young protesters have toppled a government in weeks of worldwide Gen Z unrest.

Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, leader of the opposition in parliament, told Reuters Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday after units of the army defected and joined the protesters.

"We called the staff of the presidency and they confirmed that he left the country", he said, adding that Rajoelina's current whereabouts were unknown.

The president's office, which had earlier said Rajoelina would address the nation at 7:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Monday, did not reply to requests for comment.

PRESIDENT LEFT ON FRENCH MILITARY PLANE

A military source told Reuters that Rajoelina flew out of the country on a French military aircraft on Sunday. French radio RFI said he had struck a deal with President Emmanuel Macron.

The source said that a French Army Casa aircraft landed in Madagascar's Sainte Marie airport on Sunday. "Five minutes later, a helicopter arrived and transferred its passenger into the Casa," the source said, adding that Rajoelina was the passenger.

Demonstrations had erupted in the former French colony on September 25 over water and power shortages but quickly escalated into an uprising over broader grievances, including corruption, bad governance and lack of basic services.

The anger mirrors recent protests against ruling elites in countries including Nepal, where the prime minister was forced to resign last month, and Morocco.

LOST SUPPORT OF ARMY, GENDARMERIE

Rajoelina had appeared increasingly isolated after losing the support of CAPSAT, an elite unit which had helped him seize power in a 2009 coup.

CAPSAT joined the protesters over the weekend, saying it refused to shoot on them and escorting thousands of demonstrators in the main square of the capital Antananarivo.

It then said it was taking charge of the military and appointed a new army chief, prompting Rajoelina to warn on Sunday of an attempt to seize power in the island nation off the coast of southern Africa.

On Monday, a faction of the paramilitary gendarmerie supporting the protests also took control of the gendarmerie at a formal ceremony in the presence of senior government officials, a Reuters witness said.

The president of the Senate - a focus of public anger during the protests - was relieved of his functions, the Senate said in a statement, and Jean André Ndremanjary was appointed on a temporary basis.

In the absence of a president, the leader of the Senate takes the post until elections are held.

"THE PRESIDENT MUST QUIT"

On Monday, thousands of people gathered in a square in the capital, shouting "the president must quit now".

Hotel worker Adrianarivony Fanomegantsoa, 22, told Reuters his 300,000-ariary ($67) monthly salary was barely enough to cover food, explaining his reasons for joining the protests.

"In 16 years the president and his government have done nothing except enrich themselves while the people stay poor. And the youth, the Gen Z, suffer the most," he said.

At least 22 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and the security forces since September 25, according to the UN.

Madagascar, where the median age is less than 20, has a population of about 30 million - three-quarters of whom live in poverty, with GDP per capita plunging 45% between independence in 1960 and 2020, according to the World Bank.

While the country is best known for producing most of the world’s vanilla, other exports including nickel, cobalt, textiles and shrimps are also vital to foreign earnings and employment.

(Reporting by Lovasoa Rabary and Tim Cocks; Additional reporting by Giulia Paravicini, Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Bate Felix, Ammu Kannampilly, Timothy Heritage, Alexandra Hudson)