Protesters in Madagascar on Saturday entered Antananarivo’s May 13 Square for the first time since demonstrations began last month, under military escort.
The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, began on September 25 over water and electricity shortages but have since escalated, posing the most serious challenge to President Andry Rajoelina’s rule since his re-election in 2023.
Earlier on Saturday, some troops from an army unit that helped Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests, local media reported.
The elite CAPSAT unit, which played a pivotal role in Rajoelina’s rise, issued a rare public call for solidarity with demonstrators demanding his resignation.
Videos circulating on social media showed CAPSAT soldiers urging fellow troops to “support the people.”
Military leaders, including the chief of staff and a senior official from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, urged troops to engage in discussions and dialogue.
A video broadcast by local media showed that some soldiers left the barracks to escort protesters into May 13 Square, the scene of many political uprisings, which had been heavily guarded and off-limits during the unrest.
The demonstrators are demanding that Rajoelina step down, apologise to the country, and dissolve the senate and electoral commission.
Last week, he dismissed his cabinet and appointed a new prime minister.
At least 22 people have been killed and 100 injured in the unrest, according to the United Nations. The Malagasy government has disputed the figures, with Rajoelina saying this week that 12 people were killed in the protests.
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