Antananarivo, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina dismissed the prime minister and dissolved his government on Monday, Sept 29, 2025, after days of youth-led demonstrations demanding reliable water and electricity. The Madagascar Gen Z protests swelled in Antananarivo and spread to other cities as security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
The UN human rights office reported at least 22 people killed and more than 100 injured since Sept 25, citing evidence of unnecessary and disproportionate force. Madagascar’s foreign ministry disputed the UN figures and has not released an alternative toll. In a televised address, Rajoelina apologised for government failings and invited proposals for a new prime minister within three days.
A nighttime curfew was imposed in the capital as clashes and sporadic looting were reported. Protesters invoked the slogan “We want to live, not survive,” echoing social media driven youth movements in Kenya and Nepal. The Madagascar Gen Z protests represent the most serious challenge to Rajoelina since his 2023 re-election.
What happened and where the pressure came from
The Madagascar Gen Z protests began peacefully on Thursday with students and young workers rallying against rolling blackouts and water shortages. By the weekend, the marches had grown into mass demonstrations across multiple cities. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets; some incidents of vandalism and attacks on officials’ homes were reported, while protesters accused agent provocateurs of trying to discredit them. A dusk-to-dawn curfew followed.
On Monday, Rajoelina told viewers of the state broadcaster that “members of the government” had not fulfilled their duties. He said he would terminate the cabinet and would accept PM candidates within three days before forming a new government. The Madagascar Gen Z protests continued in pockets of the capital after the announcement.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged authorities to halt excessive force and release arbitrarily detained protesters. The UN’s account says the dead include protesters and bystanders as well as people killed amid wider looting by actors not linked to protest organisers. The government says the UN total is “based on rumours or misinformation.” The Madagascar Gen Z protests initially remained peaceful before unrest escalated.
Why services failed and why it matters
Behind the Madagascar Gen Z protests lies a long-running energy crunch. Only about 36% of the Malagasy population has access to electricity. The state utility JIRAMA struggles with high technical losses, under-recovery tariffs, and dependence on costly fuel oil. These weaknesses result in frequent load shedding, which thwarts businesses and disrupts household life.
The pressure intensified after a late 2024 rainfall deficit cut hydropower output, prolonging outages into 2025. The World Bank links the deficit to a wave of prolonged power cuts across cities, underscoring how climate stress compounds governance gaps. Against this backdrop, the Madagascar Gen Z protests framed basic utilities as a matter of dignity, not a luxury.
International lenders say stabilising JIRAMA is central to recovery. A recent World Bank program aims to reduce outages and nearly double clean energy generation, positioning investment as a bridge between public frustration and policy delivery. Still, translating plans into faster outage relief is the political test Rajoelina now faces amid the protests in Madagascar among the Gen Z population.
What the law allows and what may come next
Under Madagascar’s 2010 Constitution, the President appoints the Prime Minister and may terminate the PM’s functions under defined conditions; the majority in the National Assembly typically presents a new head of government. Rajoelina’s three-day PM window aligns with this framework, although the pace of cabinet formation will be closely monitored. The Madagascar Gen Z protests have raised expectations for immediate improvements in water and power delivery.
For now, removed ministers continue in interim roles while candidates for prime minister are vetted. The curfew remains a barometer of security risk. Whether the Madagascar Gen Z protests ebb will depend on confidence that the next cabinet can stabilise basic services and rein in force used against demonstrators, as urged by the UN.
