Protesters once again took to the streets of Madagascar’s cities on Monday, marking a third consecutive week of anti-government demonstrations now calling for President Andry Rajoelina to step down.
Police in the capital, Antananarivo, used teargas to disperse the crowds, according to a Reuters reporter. Many of the demonstrators were university students who had initially mobilised last month over frequent power and water cuts but have since voiced broader frustrations with the government.
Inspired by “Gen Z” protest movements in Kenya and Nepal, the rallies represent the largest wave of unrest on the Indian Ocean island in recent years, expressing anger over deep poverty and entrenched corruption. Malagasy television broadcast footage on Monday showing police confronting protesters in the southern city of Toliara and the northern city of Diego Suarez.
Despite its rich mineral resources, biodiversity and farmland, Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest nations. Average income per person has fallen by 45% since independence in 1960.
Although Rajoelina dismissed his cabinet last week, many protesters are demanding that the 51-year-old president himself resign.
According to the United Nations, at least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured during the initial days of unrest — figures the government disputes.
In a speech on Friday, Rajoelina said he was prepared to listen to the demonstrators’ concerns but ignored calls for his resignation.
A spokesperson for his office told Reuters over the weekend that the movement was being “exploited by political actors seeking to destabilise the country,” adding that “President Rajoelina remains committed to dialogue and to accelerating solutions that improve people’s daily lives.”
In a separate statement on Monday, the presidency said the president had met with several civil society organisations on Saturday but offered no further details. Other groups said they had declined to attend, citing the lack of guarantees that protests could continue peacefully and that detained demonstrators would be freed.
Officials from more than 20 oil producing countries have agreed on a roadmap aimed at strengthening international oil industry cooperation at a meetin...
Peace. Prosperity. New political forces. A technology-driven economy. Following Armenia’s parliamentary election, AnewZ took to the streets of Yerev...
As the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament draws to a close, there’s much to anticipate and yet so much to look back at. ...
Officials from more than 20 oil producing countries have agreed on a roadmap aimed at strengthening international oil industry cooperation at a meeting in Azerbaijan.
Peace. Prosperity. New political forces. A technology-driven economy. Following Armenia’s parliamentary election, AnewZ took to the streets of Yerevan to ask people how they imagine their country five years from now.
As the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament draws to a close, there’s much to anticipate and yet so much to look back at.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Russia launched a fresh wave of missile strikes on Ukraine early on Thursday, saying it had hit military and industrial facilities in Kyiv, as well as key port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region.
Uganda is expected to discharge its final Ebola patient on Thursday, beginning the 42-day countdown required before the country can be declared free of the virus if no new cases emerge, according to a government spokesperson.
The U.S. Coast Guard has called off its search for three people missing after a pontoon boat capsized near Alcatraz, leaving four people dead or presumed dead.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment