Security forces in Madagascar unleashed rubber bullets and tear gas on Thursday, October 9, 2025, to disperse a youth-led protest in the capital, Antananarivo, marking yet another chapter in what has become the island’s most significant unrest in years. At least 1,000 demonstrators took to the streets, some hurling objects at police as armored vehicles rolled in and officers made numerous arrests, according to AFP and the Associated Press. The protest movement, known as Gen Z Mada, has been at the forefront of these demonstrations—now entering their third week—demanding President Andry Rajoelina’s resignation and vowing not to back down until their grievances are addressed.
The roots of the protests stretch back to September 25, when frustration boiled over due to persistent power and water shortages. But what began as anger over blackouts and dry taps quickly snowballed into a broader movement encompassing widespread dissatisfaction with corruption, high unemployment, the rising cost of living, and a lack of access to higher education. Civic groups and trade unions soon joined the fray, amplifying the movement’s reach and intensity. Nighttime curfews have since been imposed in Antananarivo and other major cities, but the unrest shows no sign of abating.
According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have died and more than 100 have been injured during the protests—most of them in the furious early days. The UN human rights office has accused Madagascar’s security forces of a violent response to what began as peaceful demonstrations. The government, however, disputes the death toll and has not released its own figures. The Associated Press reports that the protests have continued almost daily, with Gen Z Mada calling for a nationwide strike and stayaway on Thursday, October 9, following the expiry of a 48-hour ultimatum for President Rajoelina to step down.
President Rajoelina, who first rose to prominence in 2009 after leading protests that resulted in a military-backed coup and the ouster of then-President Marc Ravalomanana, finds himself facing a movement reminiscent of his own political origins. Elected president in 2018 and reelected in 2023 (in a vote boycotted by opposition parties), Rajoelina has attempted a series of maneuvers to quell the unrest. Last week, he sacked his entire government and appointed an army general as prime minister, a move that Gen Z Mada and its supporters saw as an attempt to clamp down on dissent rather than address the underlying issues.
On Wednesday, October 8, Rajoelina held a town-hall style meeting at his palace, inviting various groups of government supporters for what he described as an opportunity to "listen more." Gen Z Mada, however, rejected the president’s offer to attend, arguing that they could not engage with a government they accuse of repressing those who demand basic human rights. Instead, the group reiterated its call for Rajoelina to resign. In a statement reported by the Associated Press, Gen Z Mada declared, "We do not reach out to a regime that every day crushes those who stand up for justice. This government talks about dialogue but rules with weapons."
During the town-hall, Rajoelina pledged to step down in a year if he failed to resolve the country’s chronic power outages. "I swear that if power cuts persist in the capital within a year, I will resign," he said, assuring attendees that ongoing projects would add 265 megawatts to the national grid. He also insisted that honest conversations—rather than protests—were the only way to solve the nation’s challenges. "I don't want flattery. I want to hear the truth. It's the people who kept telling me that everything was fine who are responsible for our current situation," Rajoelina told the crowd, according to BBC News.
Yet for many, these assurances have rung hollow. The protest movement has rejected both the president’s timeline and his new appointments, maintaining that only his immediate resignation will suffice. Gen Z Mada has called on people from all regions of Madagascar to join their cause, stating that "the Malagasy people do not submit." The group has also harnessed the power of social media, maintaining a website, Facebook page, and other online channels to organize protests, share updates, and even raise money via a GoFundMe page. Their efforts mirror similar Gen Z-led anti-government movements in Kenya, Nepal, Morocco, and elsewhere—a fact not lost on the protesters themselves, who say they were inspired by recent uprisings that toppled governments in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
One of the most striking symbols of the movement is a pirate skull and crossbones, borrowed from the Japanese comic series One Piece and adapted with a traditional Malagasy hat. This emblem, seen on banners and clothing at rallies, has come to represent Gen Z’s global pushback against authoritarianism and their desire for a better future. As the Associated Press notes, the group describes itself as generally under the age of 30, united by the slogan: "We’re tired of just surviving, we want to live."
Despite the ongoing unrest, life in much of Antananarivo continues as normal, save for neighborhoods with a heavy police presence where roads have been blocked or are under close watch. Still, the sense of crisis is palpable. Madagascar, a nation of roughly 31 million people off the east coast of Africa, has a long history of political instability, with several leaders forced out in uprisings since independence from France in 1960. Today, about 80% of the population lives in severe poverty, according to the World Bank, and many citizens see little hope for change under the current leadership.
Rajoelina’s recent moves—firing his government, appointing new ministers for the armed forces, public security, and the gendarmerie, and pledging to restore peace—have done little to mollify the protesters. In fact, many see these actions as an attempt to further entrench his power and silence dissent. The president has even referred to the protests as an attempted coup, a characterization that Gen Z Mada and its supporters vehemently reject.
As the standoff continues, it’s clear that the protests in Madagascar are about far more than just power outages. They represent a generational demand for dignity, opportunity, and genuine political accountability—a demand echoed in youth movements around the world. Whether Rajoelina’s promises and government shake-ups will be enough to quell the unrest, or whether the protests will ultimately force another political reckoning, remains to be seen.
For now, the eyes of Madagascar—and indeed, much of Africa—remain fixed on the country’s restless youth, who have shown that they will not be easily silenced.
