![[FILE] Protesters celebrate the arrival of the military at a protest in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on October 14, 2025. EFE/EPA/HENITSOA RAFALIA](https://i0.wp.com/efe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/rss-efe966e1b569ecda547acf781845601293efcd0db2aw.webp?fit=1920%2C1291&ssl=1)
Antananarivo, Oct 17 (EFE).— Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who led the coup d’état in Madagascar earlier this week, was sworn in Friday as the interim president, vowing to launch a “national reconstruction.”
Wearing a dark suit, blue tie, and white shirt instead of his military uniform, Randrianirina took the oath of office during a ceremony at the Constitutional High Court in the capital, Antananarivo, attended by members of the diplomatic corps accredited in the island nation.
“Before God, the homeland and the people, I solemnly swear to respect the constitution, to fulfill my duties with honor and dignity, to defend the integrity of the national territory, to guarantee fundamental human rights, to preserve national unity, and to promote the well-being of the Malagasy people,” he declared.
Randrianirina heads the Army Land Forces Personnel and Services Administration Corps (CAPSAT), the elite military unit that overthrew President Andry Rajoelina on Tuesday. The ousted leader has fled the country.
Announcing the seizure of power from the presidential palace, Randrianirina said the coup was a response to the grave crisis triggered by mass protests that began on Sep. 25.
The colonel said a council composed of representatives of the army, gendarmerie, and national police, with the possible inclusion of civilians, would govern for up to two years to “rebuild the foundations of the nation,” during which a constitutional referendum will be held.
“We are at a turning point in our history because, as recent events demonstrate, it is truly the people who demanded the revolution. Since independence, the Malagasy have fought and sacrificed for a better life,” Randrianirina said in his inaugural address.
“However, 60 years later, we are one of the poorest countries in the world, and Generation Z, with the support of the population, has taken to the streets to demand national reconstruction and solutions to our socio-economic problems,” he added.
In the short term, he pledged to address “the problems that weaken Malagasy society, particularly energy, access to drinking water, health, and education.”
In the medium term, he announced “a national consultation for the review of the Constitution and the electoral law.”
On governance, Randrianirina promised “an austerity policy, focusing spending on the real needs of the people and avoiding unnecessary expenses and waste of public funds.”
He also appealed to the international community to “support us in this crucial stage in the history of the Malagasy people.”
International condemnation
The coup was met with jubilation among protesters but condemned by the international community.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres denounced the “unconstitutional” change of government and called for the swift restoration of constitutional order and the rule of law.
The African Union suspended Madagascar on Wednesday from all its activities until legality is restored, while the Southern African Development Community (SADC) voiced “alarm” at the military takeover, calling it a “serious threat” to peace, stability, and democratic order.
Madagascar has been in turmoil since Sep.25, when massive protests led by Generation-Z youth erupted over chronic power and water shortages.
The demonstrations evolved into an anti-government movement demanding Rajoelina’s resignation over allegations of corruption, nepotism, and embezzlement of public funds.
Before Tuesday’s uprising, Madagascar had witnessed three coups since gaining independence from France, in 1972, 1975, and 2009.
CAPSAT also played a key role in the 2009 coup that ousted then-president Marc Ravalomanana and brought Rajoelina to power for the first time. EFE
yl-sk
