What is happening in Madagascar? President flees country after alleged assassination attempt amid mass protests and military unrest

Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina has confirmed he is in a “safe place” after an assassination attempt added to weeks of mounting political turmoil in the Indian Ocean nation. The 51-year-old leader, who has faced intense protests led by youth demanding his resignation, appeared in a rare live address on Facebook on Monday but did not disclose his exact location.

According to multiple reports, Rajoelina fled Madagascar on a French army plane on Sunday after the military announced its support for the protest movement. While speculation swirled about his whereabouts, government sources and military insiders confirmed that he had left the country amid an unstable power struggle.

In his speech, which was postponed twice as the armed forces tried to take control of state media, Rajoelina called for a constitutional solution to the crisis and expressed his determination to find a solution despite the threat to his life. “Today I had to find a safe place to protect my life. I never stop looking for a solution to all this,” he said.
While protests swept Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo and other cities, the president’s absence since Wednesday had raised concerns about his security and political future. Demonstrators voiced their grievances about economic difficulties and alleged corruption in the government, intensifying calls for Rajoelina’s resignation.

The military’s commitment to the protesters marks a critical turning point, weakening the president’s grip on the state and signaling a potential shift of power amid instability. This development has raised fears of an escalation of violence or a coup after weeks of clashes between security forces and demonstrators.

Rajoelina emphasized the importance of constitutional mechanisms to address the crisis, implicitly rejecting extrajudicial usurpations of power or forced removals. Analysts argue that the president’s flight and his current security underscore the fragile balance of power and uncertainty about Madagascar’s political course. The situation remains highly volatile, with political leaders, civil society groups and international observers monitoring developments closely. The United Nations called for dialogue and restraint to preserve democracy and prevent further violence. Madagascar, one of Africa’s poorest countries, grapples with deep-seated problems such as economic inequality, institutional weaknesses and recurring political instability. The latest crisis underlines the unstable state of the polity and the urgent need for peaceful resolution of conflicts.