The youth movement “Gen Z” in Madagascar has called for a general strike and new demonstrations in direct defiance of President Andry Rajoelina, who sought to ease the escalating political and social crisis by dismissing his government and appointing a general as prime minister, along with ministers from the security and military institutions.
The movement described these appointments as “a disregard for the will of the people” and announced in a statement that it was calling on all citizens to join the general strike and gather in the center of the capital, Antananarivo.
In an attempt to calm public anger, the president held an open meeting at the presidential palace to listen to citizens’ complaints, which included personal issues such as unemployment and the arrest of relatives. The meeting was broadcast on radio and television, and observers compared it to the “national dialogue” launched by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2019 during the “Yellow Vests” crisis.
However, the “Gen Z” movement boycotted the meeting, calling it a “mere simulation of dialogue,” while some students used the platform to criticize corruption and the deterioration of public services.
Although protest turnout has slightly declined, demonstrations continue almost daily in the capital and several major cities. The United Nations has documented 22 deaths and more than 100 injuries since the protests began, figures denied by the authorities.
Last week, the capital witnessed new clashes when security forces used tear gas to disperse protesters, resulting in additional injuries.
While the movement no longer demands the president’s resignation, it has put forward a new set of demands that include respect for public freedoms, an official apology from the president to the people, the restructuring of the Constitutional Court, and the dissolution of the Senate—or at least the dismissal of its president, Richard Ravalomanana.
