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Colonel Michael Randrianirina has been sworn in as Madagascar’s new president, days after the military seized power in the Indian Ocean nation.
At a ceremony held at the Constitutional Court in the capital, Antananarivo, the former head of the elite CAPSAT army unit exchanged his military fatigues for a suit and took the oath of office before a cheering crowd — many of them the same young protesters whose weeks of demonstrations led to President Andry Rajoelina’s impeachment and flight from the country.
“Today marks a historic turning point for our country,” Randrianirina declared. “With a people in full fervour, driven by the desire for change, we joyfully open a new chapter in the life of our nation.”
Madagascar now enters a fragile transition period expected to last up to two years, with elections promised once a new constitution and electoral reforms are in place. Despite political uncertainty, there is cautious optimism surrounding the new leader’s pledge to reform governance and restore stability.
Constitutional Court president Florent Rakotoarisoa dismissed international claims that the events constituted a coup, arguing instead that weaknesses in the constitution had fuelled the crisis.
The protests that brought down Rajoelina began last month, spearheaded by the youth-led Gen Z Mada movement, which mobilised thousands frustrated by chronic power and water shortages. On Tuesday, Randrianirina’s troops joined the demonstrators in the streets — a decisive moment that sealed the former president’s fate.
In his inaugural address, Randrianirina vowed to “defend and strengthen national unity and human rights,” and pledged to “break with the past” through deep administrative, socio-economic, and political reforms.
He outlined three immediate priorities: investigating the state-owned utility company Jirama to address power and water failures; improving rice production as the agricultural season begins; and appointing a new prime minister and cabinet.
The new president has also hinted at a possible shift in foreign policy. In a sign of changing alliances, he met with Russian embassy officials on Thursday to discuss what was described as “serious cooperation,” following weeks of pro-Russia sentiment during the protests, with demonstrators waving Russian flags and calling for Moscow’s support.
