Madagascar coup chief sworn in as president after navy takeover

[ad_1] ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — A military colonel who seized power in a military coup was sworn in as Madagascar’s new chief Friday in a lightning-fast energy seize that ousted the president and despatched him fleeing from the nation into hiding.

Col. Michael Randrianirina, the commander of an elite military unit, took the oath of workplace to turn out to be the brand new president at a ceremony in the primary chamber of the nation’s Excessive Constitutional Court docket and in entrance of its 9 red-robed judges.

Madagascar Excessive Constitutional Court docket judges congratulates Col. Michael Randrianirina, sworn in as president, on the essential chamber of the nation’s Excessive Constitutional Court docket, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Picture/Brian Inganga)

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His ascent to the presidency got here simply three days after he announced that the armed forces were taking power in Madagascar, the Indian Ocean island of round 30 million folks off Africa’s east coast that had been rocked by three weeks of youth-led anti-government protests.

The United Nations has condemned the navy takeover as an unconstitutional change of presidency however there was little important response from different international locations, together with Madagascar’s former colonial ruler, France.

The takeover led to Madagascar being suspended from the African Union.

Madagascar has excessive charges of poverty, which have an effect on round 75% of the inhabitants, in response to the World Financial institution. The previous French colony, extensively generally known as the world’s largest vanilla supplier and residential to the stripey-tailed primates known as lemurs, has a tumultuous historical past of political instability.

The nation has seen a number of coups and tried coups since gaining independence in 1960.

President Andry Rajoelina’s whereabouts are unknown after he left the nation claiming his life was at risk following the revolt. He reportedly escaped on a French navy aircraft. In his absence, Rajoelina was impeached in a vote in parliament on Tuesday, proper earlier than the colonel introduced the navy was taking energy.

Randrianirina, who's believed to be 50 or 51 years outdated, swapped his navy camouflage for a darkish swimsuit and blue tie for the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by navy officers, civilian officers and overseas diplomats. Army guards of honor on both facet of the room drew ceremonial swords to mark the second, and a line of troopers blew trumpets.

The colonel, who emerged from relative obscurity to guide the revolt by his CAPSAT navy unit lower than per week in the past, was briefly imprisoned two years in the past for an tried mutiny. He stated he spent many of the three months he was detained in late 2023 and early 2024 at a navy hospital.

Rajoelina himself got here to energy as a transitional chief in 2009 after a military-backed coup.

Randrianirina has stated Madagascar can be run by a navy council with him as president for between 18 months and two years earlier than any new elections, which means the younger individuals who impressed the rebellion in opposition to Rajoelina might have a protracted wait earlier than they're able to select their new chief.

Col. Michael Randrianirina arrives on the excessive constitutional courtroom to be sworn in as President in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Picture/ Brian Inganga)

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Ramatoa Elisa Randrianirina arrives for her husband Col. Michael Randrianirina's swearing-in as president, on the Excessive Constitutional Court docket in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Picture/Brian Inganga)

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The protests, which started final month, have echoed other Gen Z-led uprisings in Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Younger Madagascans first took to the streets final month to rail in opposition to common water and energy outages, however have raised different points, together with the price of dwelling, the dearth of alternatives and alleged corruption and nepotism by the elite.

Randrianirina seized on the momentum final weekend by turning in opposition to Rajoelina and becoming a member of the anti-government protests that known as for the president and authorities ministers to step down. There was a quick conflict between his troopers and members of the gendarmerie safety forces nonetheless loyal to Rajoelina, throughout which one CAPSAT soldier was killed, the colonel stated.

However there was no main violence on the streets and Randrianirina’s troops have been cheered and their takeover celebrated by Madagascans.

Randrianirina stated in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that the navy takeover was a transfer to “take duty as residents and patriots” to avoid wasting “a dying nation.”

“Any further, we are going to restore the nation to its former glory, struggle in opposition to insecurity, and progressively attempt to resolve the social issues that Malagasy folks expertise,” he stated in an interview at his unit’s barracks, the place he introduced his intention to take up the place of president.

Rajoelina’s workplace has stated a transfer earlier this week by the Excessive Constitutional Court docket to ask Randrianirina to turn out to be the brand new president was flawed and claimed that a number of the courtroom’s judges had been threatened.

Troopers loyal to Col. Michael Randrianirina guard the doorway of the excessive constitutional courtroom in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Picture/Brian Inganga)

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On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the unconstitutional change of presidency and known as “for the return to constitutional order and the rule of legislation,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, stated. The African Union stated it “completely rejects” the takeover.

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Imray reported from Cape City, South Africa.

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Extra AP information on Madagascar: https://apnews.com/hub/madagascar

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