By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Madagascar Revokes Citizenship of Ousted President Rajoelina
Madagascar’s political turmoil deepened on Friday as the new government officially revoked the Malagasy citizenship of ousted president Andry Rajoelina, citing his acquisition of French nationality in 2014.
The decree, published in the government’s official gazette, effectively bars the former leader from contesting any future elections.
Rajoelina, who was impeached on October 14, fled the island nation after weeks of street protests and growing unrest.
His removal followed a tense standoff between the government and sections of the military who refused to suppress the youth-led demonstrations calling for his resignation.
According to reports by local media and France’s RFI, the order was signed by Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, and it referenced laws that strip any Malagasy citizen of nationality once they voluntarily acquire that of another country.
Images of the decree quickly circulated online, sparking renewed debate over Rajoelina’s controversial political career.
Rajoelina’s French citizenship had been a subject of scandal ahead of the November 2023 elections.
Despite calls for his disqualification at the time, he went on to win a disputed vote boycotted by opposition parties. Critics accused him of clinging to power through manipulation and repression, while his supporters praised him for his development projects.
The 51-year-old fled Madagascar on October 11, shortly after Colonel Michael Randrianirina, leader of the CAPSAT military unit, declared that his forces would not obey orders to crack down on protesters.
Randrianirina later assumed power and was sworn in as interim president on October 14, promising to organize fresh elections within two years.
Rajoelina’s current whereabouts remain unknown, though he previously stated he was in hiding “for safety reasons.”
The revocation of his citizenship marks the latest chapter in Madagascar’s recurring cycle of political instability, a pattern that has haunted the island nation since Rajoelina first seized power in a 2009 coup before later returning through the ballot box.
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