By: Isaac Kwabena Boadu Date: 22nd October, 2025
In a significant development following the recent military takeover, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, Madagascar’s coup leader, has appointed Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo as the country’s new prime minister. This move comes after Randrianirina’s swearing-in as president on October 17, 2025, following a wave of youth-led protests that ousted former President Andry Rajoelina.
The protests, which started on September 25, 2025, were initially sparked by persistent electricity and water shortages but soon escalated into broader anti-government demonstrations. Protesters demanded Rajoelina’s resignation, citing poverty, corruption, and economic mismanagement.
Rajoelina, who fled the country on October 13, 2025, after escaping on a military jet, has condemned the military takeover and refused to step down. His departure came after the elite military unit CAPSAT, which had previously supported him in ousting then-President Marc Ravalomanana in 2009, defected to the protesters. This defection sealed Rajoelina’s fate, and he was subsequently impeached by parliament on October 14, 2025.
Colonel Randrianirina has pledged to lead the country towards new elections within two years, but analysts are skeptical about the feasibility of this plan. The military council has suspended key institutions, including the Senate, High Constitutional Court, and Independent National Electoral Commission, adding to the uncertainty surrounding Madagascar’s future.
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