Vol 66 No 21 | MADAGASCAR Gen Z redraws the power map 24th October 2025 Mass demonstrations prompted President Andry Rajoelina’s removal from power. Now the military is back in the driving seat It was the military’s backing for the Gen Z protests against President Andry Rajoelina that forced him to flee aboard a French military jet on 12 October. At...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 21 | MADAGASCAR Gen Z’s military man Randrianirina takes the oath 20th October 2025 Despite AU censure, new president may receive SADC backing One of President Colonel Michael Randrianirina’s first tasks is gaining international acceptance of his new regime after he took power in a Gen Z-inspired coup that followed weeks... READ FOR FREE
Vol 66 No 21 | MADAGASCAR Randrianirina out of the shadows 24th October 2025 Colonel Michael Randrianirina’s rapid rise from a senior military officer to the presidency of Madagascar owes much to luck and Gen Z. Randrianirina would not be president without...
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 20 | MADAGASCAR Rajoelina is ‘ready to listen’ as opposition calls for his exit 6th October 2025 No sign of end to unrest after protests began over woeful public services President Andry Rajoelina says that he is ‘ready to listen, ready to extend a helping hand, and above all, ready to bring solutions to Madagascar’. He is, however,... READ FOR FREE
DISPATCHES Vol 66 No 8 | MADAGASCARUNITED STATES African textiles industry faces major job losses as Trump tariffs hit home 14th April 2025 Facing penalties on its exports of vanilla and textiles Madagascar could lose 2% of its GDP this year One of the world’s weakest economies, with a GDP per capita of US$509 a year, Madagascar was threatened with a 47% tariff on goods exports to the United... READ FOR FREE
Vol 62 No 25 | MADAGASCAR Economy under the weather 16th December 2021 Drought and water mismanagement are pushing the country into famine. But with no serious opposition, Rajoelina reigns on The rains are late in Madagascar – again. While over 750,000 people in the south of the island face severe hunger after three consecutive years of drought, the...
Vol 61 No 7 | MADAGASCARCOVID-19 Pre-self-isolated 2nd April 2020 Madagascar is on few international airline routes, so Covid-19 came late to the island. The authorities were able to impose quarantine on arriving travellers early, even before the...
Vol 59 No 23 | MADAGASCAR Second-round grudge match 23rd November 2018 The second round of the Madagascar presidential election on 19 December promises to be a hard fight between two sworn enemies: Marc Ravalomanana, who led the country from...
Vol 59 No 22 | MADAGASCAR Big men bid high for the top job 6th November 2018 Three ex-presidents are sparing no expense wooing some of the poorest voters in Africa. There’s a wide field, but not much choice The voters of Madagascar faced a list of 36 candidates when they went to the polls for the presidential elections on 7 November. They include an evangelical pastor,...
Vol 59 No 9 | MADAGASCAR Polls code sparks crisis 4th May 2018 Anti-government protests are spreading and threaten to reignite the island's tradition of popular revolt With presidential elections due in November, political tension has once again triggered violence on the streets of Antananarivo. On 21 April, a rally by opposition MPs under the...