Madagascar crisis: President alleges attempted coup as elite troops back protests

Madagascar’s political crisis deepened after President Andry Rajoelina said an “illegal and forcible” bid to seize power is under way, following the decision by CAPSAT—an elite army unit pivotal in a 2009 coup—to side with weeks-long, youth-led protests over chronic water and electricity shortages.

Lake Anosy, Central Antananarivo, Capital of Madagascar

On Sunday, CAPSAT officers declared they had assumed command of the country’s security operations and installed General Demosthene Pikulas as army chief, a move publicly acknowledged by the armed forces minister. Sections of the gendarmerie also broke ranks, while Rajoelina’s whereabouts were unclear even as the presidency insisted it remained in control.

The protests, which began on September 25, have swelled into broader demands for Rajoelina’s resignation and sweeping political reforms. The United Nations has reported at least 22 deaths since the unrest began—a figure the government disputes. Demonstrations continued through the weekend as CAPSAT troops were cheered into Antananarivo’s symbolic May 13 Square.

International actors urged restraint: the African Union called for calm, and Air France suspended flights between Paris and Antananarivo from Oct. 11–13 citing security concerns. With roughly three-quarters of Madagascar’s ~30 million people living in poverty, the turmoil poses a severe test for a nation with a history of military interventions in politics.

The military split—especially CAPSAT’s defection—marks the gravest challenge to Rajoelina since his disputed 2023 re-election and raises the risk of a rapid escalation if rival security factions confront each other in the capital.