ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR— A dramatic escalation in Madagascar's political crisis unfolded on Sunday, October 12, 2025, after an elite military unit openly declared control over the nation's armed forces, prompting a swift public condemnation from President Andry Rajoelina, who warned of an “attempt to seize power illegally.”
The crisis, which began as widespread youth-led protests over chronic water and electricity shortages on September 25, has now transitioned into a dangerous military standoff. The CAPSAT (Corps of Administrative and Technical Personnel) contingent, a critical military unit in the capital, issued a video statement on Sunday morning claiming command of the entire Malagasy military. "From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army—whether land, air or the navy—will originate from CAPSAT headquarters," the officers asserted. The unit also took the extraordinary step of naming General Demosthene Pikulas as the new head of the army, a post that had been vacant.
The move follows a major turn in the unrest on Saturday, October 11, when CAPSAT soldiers broke ranks with the government, condemning the excessive force used by the gendarmerie against demonstrators. The troops drove in army vehicles from their barracks in the Soanierana district to join thousands of anti-government protesters in the symbolic May 13 Square, where they were greeted with cheers and calls for President Rajoelina’s resignation. The sight of the elite soldiers siding with the "Gen Z" protesters, urging other security forces to "refuse orders to shoot", signalled the most severe challenge to Rajoelina's rule since his re-election in 2023.
In a statement released on Sunday, President Rajoelina's office vehemently condemned the power grab, which it described as being "contrary to the Constitution and to democratic principles." While assuring the nation and the international community that the President "remains in the country" and continues to manage national affairs, the statement called on all national forces to unite in defence of the constitutional order and reaffirmed that "dialogue is the only way forward" to resolve the ongoing instability.
The gendarmerie, which had been the primary security force tasked with quelling the demonstrations, also attempted to navigate the military rift. On Sunday, its officers released a video statement acknowledging "faults and excesses during our interventions" and calling for "fraternity" with the army, while simultaneously declaring that all future orders would emanate solely from their own headquarters.
The protests, initially sparked by anger over utility cuts, have swelled to reflect deeper public frustration over corruption and extreme poverty, with the UN reporting at least 22 deaths since the unrest began, a number the government has disputed. The African Union Commission expressed "deep concern" on Sunday, urging all stakeholders to exercise restraint and respect the constitutional framework. The gravity of the situation is heightened by the historical irony that the same CAPSAT base was instrumental in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power, a precedent that now casts a shadow over the incumbent president's future.