Madagascar's military announces seizure of state power

ANTANANARIVO - Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a Malagasy military officer, announced on Tuesday that state power in Madagascar has been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police.

"We are here to take power," said Randrianirina, noting that the decision followed "the observation of non-compliance with the Constitution and the flouting of human rights."

Randrianirina said the constitution has been suspended and new national structures established "to meet the aspirations of the Malagasy people." He also announced the dissolution of key public institutions, including the Senate, the High Constitutional Court and the National Independent Electoral Commission.

In the coming days, a "civilian government" will be formed, he said, adding that its mission will be to lead a national renewal, restore public trust in institutions, and rebuild a state based on justice, good governance and accountability.

Underlining that the term of this transitional structure is set at a maximum of two years, he said that a constitutional referendum will be organized, followed by general elections to establish new institutions.

On the same day, the National Assembly of Madagascar, the lower house of the country's bicameral parliament, voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina during an extraordinary session in the capital, Antananarivo, despite the Presidency's earlier announcement that the assembly had been dissolved.

"The impeachment of President Andry Rajoelina has been voted. Among the 131 members of parliament present during the vote, 130 voted in favor of the impeachment, while one abstained," said the assembly's Vice President Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, following the session.

The decision came just hours after Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the National Assembly.

Local media quoted Randrianasoloniaiko as saying that the dissolution decree was "devoid of legal validity due to the absence of formal validation."

Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. Some demonstrations turned violent and soon escalated into calls for the president's resignation.

The protests took a new turn on Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for and protection of the protesters.

In a statement on Sunday, the Malagasy Presidency said that an "attempt to seize power illegally and by force" was underway in Madagascar. It called on all the vital forces of the nation to "rally together to defend the constitutional order and national sovereignty."

On Monday, Rajoelina said in a video posted on social media that he had taken refuge in a "safe location." He claimed to have been the target of an assassination attempt orchestrated by "military personnel motivated by politicians."

He did not reveal his location but said that the only way out of this crisis is through respect for the constitution.