ANTANANARIVO — Weeks of unrest over shortages of basic services have spiraled into one of the most serious political challenges of President Andry Rajoelina’s tenure, as rival rallies in the capital on Saturday underscored a widening gulf between pro-government supporters and Generation Z-led protesters.
In the city center, thousands of pro-Rajoelina demonstrators rallied behind the president, insisting they did not seek a coup but jobs and stability. “We have water, we have electricity, it works very well. But let my children go to school,” said one supporter, reflecting mixed views about service delivery and livelihood pressures.
Across town, the mood was starkly different. Gen Z activists—who have driven recent protests over power and water cuts, education disruptions and unemployment—were blocked by a heavy police presence from converging on Democracy Square, which remained cordoned off and empty. For days, protesters have sought to gather there, calling the square a symbol of their right to assembly.
“It’s unfair that pro-Rajoelina groups can march while we’re banned from peaceful protest,” said student activist Malick Sulleyman at the pro-government rally site. “When it’s Rajoelina’s turn, there’s no problem. When it’s us, we get tear gas—they even shoot real bullets.”
The United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed and hundreds injured since the unrest began—figures the government has dismissed. Witnesses on Saturday described lines of police with raised shields blocking unarmed demonstrators advancing with their hands up, pleading to pass. “Are you gagging us?” one protester asked officers. “We can’t take the dictatorship anymore. The Malagasy people are suffering. The voice of the people must be heard.”
Rajoelina, accusing opponents of attempting a coup, sacked his government on Monday and called for dialogue “to restore order,” while rejecting calls to step down. The move appears aimed at defusing tensions without conceding to demands for his resignation, but it also highlights the administration’s balancing act between asserting control and addressing grievances over failing services, inflation, and eroding trust in institutions.
Analysts say the contrasting permissions for rallies—green lights for pro-government gatherings and restrictions on opposition mobilization—risk further inflaming perceptions of unequal treatment under the law. Rights groups have urged authorities to guarantee the right to peaceful assembly and to launch an independent investigation into the reported deaths and injuries.
With Gen Z organizers vowing to keep pressing for reforms and the presidency framing the turmoil as an existential threat, Madagascar faces a difficult path to de-escalation. Whether Rajoelina’s call for dialogue can deliver credible steps on services, education, and jobs—and assurances on civil liberties—may determine if the crisis eases or deepens in the days ahead.
