Madagascar’s new head of state, Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina, has appointed a civilian, Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, as prime minister, days after the military seized power and ousted former president Andry Rajoelina.
Randrianirina, who led the military unit that overthrew Rajoelina, was sworn in as president on Friday following a tumultuous week marked by protests, political upheaval, and the ex-president’s flight from the country.
Rajoelina’s impeachment for “desertion of duty” came after weeks of nationwide demonstrations triggered by widespread anger over persistent power outages. The protests quickly evolved into a broad anti-government movement, culminating in a military mutiny and takeover.
After consultations with Madagascar’s national assembly, Randrianirina on Monday named Rajaonarivelo — a respected businessman and former chairman of Malagasy bank BNI — as the new prime minister.
In his announcement, Randrianirina said Rajaonarivelo was chosen for his “skills, experience, and international connections,” which he said would help strengthen Madagascar’s relations with global partners.
The new president emphasized his commitment to forming a civilian-led government and working with “all the driving forces of the nation.” He denied allegations that the power shift constituted a coup, insisting that the transition was carried out in line with constitutional procedures.
“The appointment of the prime minister scrupulously followed the Constitution,” Randrianirina said on Monday.
Randrianirina previously commanded the CAPSAT army unit, which mutinied on October 11 in protest against the violent crackdown on demonstrators by Rajoelina’s security forces. The mutiny proved decisive, as soldiers soon joined the protesters in the capital, Antananarivo — forcing Rajoelina to flee the country.
According to media reports, the ousted leader was evacuated on Sunday aboard a French military aircraft to the French island of Réunion, before continuing to Dubai.
Rajoelina’s supporters have denounced the military takeover, although it has since received the backing of Madagascar’s Constitutional Court.
Randrianirina has promised sweeping political reforms and fresh elections, pledging to restore stability and rebuild public trust in the impoverished island nation.
