The African Union (AU) has suspended Madagascar following a sudden military takeover that ousted President Andry Rajoelina from office.
The suspension came after Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina declared himself the new leader, promising a transitional government that could last up to two years.
The AU announced the decision on Wednesday, October 15, just hours after the coup was confirmed, describing it as an “unconstitutional change of government.”
The move automatically triggers suspension from the continental body’s activities, pending a return to constitutional rule.
Colonel Randrianirina, who currently commands Madagascar’s elite army unit, CAPSAT, said he would soon be sworn in as the interim president after being invited by the constitutional court.
“We took responsibility yesterday. We will be sworn in soon,” he told reporters in Antananarivo, adding that the military’s intervention was aimed at “restoring order and stability.”
Meanwhile, Rajoelina, who fled the country over the weekend amid mounting protests and military defections, has rejected his removal, describing it as “null and void.”
In a statement issued from abroad, he accused the army of subverting democracy and vowed to continue resisting what he called an “illegitimate regime.”
The crisis follows weeks of youth-led demonstrations, popularly dubbed the “Gen Z protests,” that swept through the capital.
Thousands of citizens took to the streets, demanding the president’s resignation over corruption allegations, economic hardship, and rising unemployment.
The protests intensified when several army units joined demonstrators, refusing to suppress the rallies.
By Tuesday, October 14, the military leadership announced the dissolution of all state institutions, except the lower house of parliament, which had earlier voted to impeach Rajoelina.
The new junta has pledged to organize elections once “peace and stability are restored.”
The African Union Peace and Security Council condemned the coup in strong terms.
Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf reiterated the AU’s firm opposition to any form of unconstitutional change of government.
“The rule of law must prevail over the rule of force,” he declared during an emergency session in Addis Ababa. “Our approach is grounded in law and dialogue.”
Moreover, Youssouf emphasized that the suspension was necessary to defend the AU’s principles of democracy and constitutional order.
“We maintain an unwavering respect for constitutional order and peaceful resolution of disputes,” he added.
The bloc has faced criticism in recent years for its handling of similar crises in Niger, Gabon, and Burkina Faso.
