Madagascar President Rajoelina Rejects Resignation Amid Largest Youth Protests

Madagascar is experiencing its largest wave of youth-led protests in years, driven by frustrations over poverty, corruption, and worsening basic services such as water shortages and power outages. The protests, inspired by similar movements in Kenya and Nepal, began in the capital Antananarivo on September 25 and have since spread nationwide, with at least 22 people reported killed and over 100 injured according to the United Nations, though the government disputes these figures. President Andry Rajoelina, who first came to power in a 2009 coup, rejected calls for his resignation and accused some politicians of attempting to exploit the unrest to orchestrate a coup while he was at the United Nations. Despite dissolving his government to quell unrest, demonstrations resumed with protesters demanding his resignation and better governance. Rajoelina called for dialogue over street protests, emphasizing his readiness to listen and find solutions to Madagascar's deep problems, but the youth-led Gen Z movement dismissed his offers as insufficient. The country remains one of the poorest despite its rich natural resources, with 75% of its population living below the poverty line.