Madagascar’s Government Falls Following Gen Z Protests 

Protesters in Madagascar returned to the streets Tuesday even though President Andry Rajoelina dissolved the government a day earlier in a bid to quell youth-led marches against water and power cuts, with demonstrators demanding his resignation, Agence France-Presse reported. 

Rajoelina, who had already fired the energy minister last week, sacked the entire government Monday, apologizing for his ministers’ mistakes. He also expressed the intention to create a space for dialogue with the young demonstrators and promised measures to assist businesses affected by looting during last week’s demonstrations, the Guardian added. 

However, the decision failed to satisfy protesters, who returned to the streets Tuesday to demand Rajoelina’s resignation as well. Police were deployed in and around the city center and fired tear gas to disperse a small crowd. 

According to the president, applications for a new prime minister will come in over the next three days before a new government is formed. In the meantime, those currently in office will act as interim ministers, the BBC noted.  

Inspired by the “Gen Z” protests in Kenya, Indonesia, and Nepal, thousands of mostly young protesters have been rallying in cities across Madagascar since last Thursday under the slogan “We want to live, not survive.”  

Last week’s demonstrations turned violent as police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd while protesters blocked roads in the capital of Antananarivo with rocks and burning tires. The United Nations said at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in the marches. 

The UN’s human rights office blamed the “violent response” by security forces for some of the deaths, with other fatalities due to violence and looting by gangs not linked to the protesters. Meanwhile, Madagascar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the casualty data reported by the UN as “based on rumors.” 

The demonstrations are the largest the Indian Ocean island has experienced in recent years and are the most serious challenge yet for Rajoelina – he first came to power in 2009 following a coup –  since being reelected in 2023 – in a vote critics say was marred by irregularities.