Madagascar's Military Takeover: Colonel Randrianirina Claims "Not a Coup" as International Community Responds

Colonel Michael Randrianirina of Madagascar firmly stated on the eve of his inauguration that the military's assumption of power, which forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the island, "was not a coup."

Randrianirina has faced international criticism after his CAPSAT military unit announced on Tuesday that they had taken control of the government, a declaration that came shortly after parliament impeached President Rajoelina.

"A coup is when soldiers enter the presidential palace with weapons. They shoot. There is bloodshed... This is not a coup," Randrianirina explained to journalists on Thursday.

In Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital, citizens have been celebrating since the dramatic change in leadership. Normal life appears to be returning after three weeks of barricades and anti-government demonstrations that began on September 25.

The country's highest court was scheduled on Friday to officially confirm Randrianirina as "President of the Refounding of the Republic of Madagascar," according to an official decree.

The 51-year-old military leader has committed to holding elections within 18 to 24 months and informed local media that discussions are ongoing to appoint a prime minister.

Rajoelina's removal has raised international concerns. He first rose to power following a military-supported coup in 2009 and was subsequently elected in 2018 and 2023.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned what he described as an "unconstitutional change of government" and urged "the return to constitutional order and the rule of law."

The UN statement added that Guterres "encourages all the Malagasy stakeholders, including the youth, to work together to address the underlying causes of instability in the country."

The African Union has suspended Madagascar and sent a delegation to the country for discussions on "restoration of constitutional order." The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has also dispatched a fact-finding mission.

Madagascar joins several former French colonies that have come under military control since 2020, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon, and Guinea.

However, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, as he is affectionately known, insisted that no coup had occurred. He argued that the top court's approval of his appointment demonstrated that the transition "follows the legal process."

Randrianirina also announced that he would no longer dissolve most state institutions as he had initially declared on Tuesday after stating at the presidential palace: "We have taken power."

The colonel expressed his intention to include representatives from the youth-led Gen Z movement, which initiated the protests last month over water and power shortages, in his administration.

Parliament has elected Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, formerly the opposition leader, as its new speaker.

Before Randrianirina's inauguration, hundreds gathered at the CAPSAT barracks on the outskirts of the capital to offer advice or make requests to the new leader.

"We have come to discuss with the saviour president of this country how to move Madagascar forward," stated former senator Robert Razaka while waiting.

Rajoelina confirmed for the first time that he had fled Madagascar between October 11 and 12, the same weekend that CAPSAT soldiers announced their support for the youth-led protest movement and joined demonstrations.

According to a statement sent to AFP, he departed after "explicit and extremely serious threats were made against the life of the head of state." The statement did not reveal his current location.

Media reports indicate that the 51-year-old former president was evacuated on Sunday aboard a French military aircraft that transported him to the French island of Reunion, from where he traveled to Dubai, where he owns a home.

Rajoelina's office stated on Wednesday that the constitutional court's decision to appoint the CAPSAT commander as his replacement contained numerous procedural irregularities and risked destabilizing the former French colony.

Madagascar has experienced multiple popular uprisings throughout its history, often followed by the establishment of military governments.

It remains one of the world's poorest countries, with approximately 80 percent of its 32 million residents living in poverty, according to World Bank data.