Antananarivo: The streets of Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, are alive with chants of triumph and revolution as thousands of young people celebrate what they see as the downfall of President Andry Rajoelina. Yet amid the euphoria, one question looms large what comes next? The movement that shook the Indian Ocean Island has achieved its immediate goal, but it remains uncertain who will lead the country forward.
Over the past weeks, Madagascar has witnessed some of the largest youth-led demonstrations in its history. Crowds of students and young professionals filled May 13 Square, the symbolic heart of political activism in the country, calling for Rajoelina’s immediate resignation. “He has to quit immediately,” shouted protestors, many waving flags, handmade banners, and even pop-culture symbols, including the skull-and-straw-hat logo from the popular Japanese anime One Piece. For many, the imagery captured their rebellion against entrenched political elites and decades of broken promises.
President Rajoelina, who first seized power through a coup in 2009 before later winning democratic elections, became a target of mounting anger over chronic poverty, corruption, and government inefficiency. Frequent power outages, severe water shortages, inflation, and the widening gap between rich and poor turned public frustration into rage. According to reports, Rajoelina has fled the country aboard a French military aircraft, though he has yet to announce a formal resignation. His departure has left Madagascar in a political limbo.
Despite their victory, the young protestors themselves acknowledge that the path ahead is unclear. Many of those interviewed admitted they had no defined political plan or alternative leader to support. “Honestly, I have no idea who should replace him,” said a 21-year-old student of law and politics, echoing the confusion shared by much of the youth movement. The protests, largely spontaneous and uncoordinated, reflect both the strength and fragility of the country’s democratic aspirations.
Analysts warn that Madagascar’s crisis is entering a delicate phase. The same energy that ousted Rajoelina could splinter without structure or leadership. The military’s ambiguous stance further complicates the picture. Elite forces that once supported the president are now rumored to sympathize with the protesters, raising fears of a military-led transition. If Rajoelina has indeed stepped down, the constitution stipulates that interim authority should pass to the head of the Senate until new elections are held. However, the current power vacuum threatens to derail that process.
Madagascar’s long-standing socio-economic challenges have been the fuel behind this uprising. Nearly 75 percent of its population lives below the poverty line, and per capita income remains around $600 a year. Decades of political instability have crippled development, while youth unemployment and poor infrastructure have deepened public despair. For many young people, the protests were not simply about politics but a desperate cry for change for electricity that works, schools that teach, jobs that pay, and leaders who listen.
The movement also underscores a generational divide. Most of the demonstrators were born after Madagascar’s 1990s democratic transition and have known only political turmoil and economic stagnation. For them, the old political order embodied by Rajoelina and his predecessors represents a cycle of failed promises. Yet their uprising, despite its power, lacks organization and ideology, leaving open the question of how a new Madagascar will be built from the ruins of the old.
As celebrations continue across the capital, signs of uncertainty are everywhere. Government buildings remain under military guard, and the economy has slowed amid fears of unrest. International observers, including the African Union and European Union, have urged dialogue and restraint, emphasizing the need for a peaceful and constitutional transition.
For now, Madagascar’s youth stand at a crossroads. They have brought down a president, proving that their voices can no longer be ignored. But the task ahead shaping the future they demanded will be far more difficult. Whether this moment becomes the birth of a new democracy or the beginning of another uncertain chapter will depend on how the island’s restless generation transforms its passion into purpose.