Hundreds of protesters in Madagascar on Wednesday demanded the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina, marking the fifth consecutive day of demonstrations that have shaken the government. Inspired by the youth-led “Gen Z” protests in Kenya and Nepal, the country has witnessed its largest wave of demonstrations in years, posing the most serious challenge to Rajoelina since his re-election in 2023.
The protests began last week in the capital, Antananarivo, over a nationwide water shortage and power outages, but quickly spread to other regions. On Monday evening, Rajoelina dissolved the government, but the move failed to calm public anger.
Organizers of the protest movement posted a statement on their Facebook page calling for Rajoelina’s resignation, as well as the dissolution of the electoral commission, the Senate, and the Supreme Court.
The United Nations reported that at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the protests erupted last week—figures the government has disputed.
On Wednesday, demonstrators marched through the streets of the capital and other areas, including the city of Toliara, located 925 kilometers south of Antananarivo, chanting “Leave” and waving flags and banners that read “Rajoelina Out,” according to footage broadcast by the private station Radio Télévision Siteny.
Rajoelina first came to power through a coup in 2009, stepped down in 2014, then returned as head of state after winning the 2018 elections. He was re-elected to a third term in December 2023 in a vote that his opponents contested as fraudulent.