Thousands of people in Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, gathered on Place du 13 Mai to celebrate the ousting of President Andry Rajoelina. The event was marked by pulsating rap and reggae beats and rousing speeches as young protesters danced, waved flags, and expressed gratitude to elite military unit Capsat for its support.
The protests began in September with demands for a complete overhaul of Madagascar's political system. Security forces initially responded violently, but Capsat eventually intervened, announcing on October 11 that it would not fire on protesters and calling for the rest of the military to "join forces" with it.
Rajoelina fled the country on a French military plane just one day after Capsat emerged in support of protesters. The unit's commander, Col Michael Randrianirina, was sworn in as transitional president for 18 to 24 months. Young protesters hailed Capsat, which has been responsible for military personnel and logistics.
"I wanted to say to them that the protests are not finished and that we must be vigilant," said Antonio, a 17-year-old protester. "We just wanted to make sure they knew who was behind this movement." Antonio reserved his praise for fellow activists, saying, "I just want to thank gen Z, the people who truly protested... because it was them who gave us the victory."
Madagascar's long struggle with corruption and poverty has led to widespread discontent. The country has a GDP per capita of $545 (£405), making it one of the poorest in the world. Its government is plagued by inefficiency and corruption.
A group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar emerged online, coordinated through Facebook, Instagram, and Signal, and took inspiration from other gen Z movements against corruption. They adopted a skull and crossbones flag that originated in Japan's One Piece anime series. The group has shown remarkable resilience in the face of violence and intimidation by security forces.
The situation in Madagascar is complex and fraught with uncertainty as the new military regime takes power. While some protesters are hopeful for change, others worry about losing their revolution to a new regime.
The protests began in September with demands for a complete overhaul of Madagascar's political system. Security forces initially responded violently, but Capsat eventually intervened, announcing on October 11 that it would not fire on protesters and calling for the rest of the military to "join forces" with it.
Rajoelina fled the country on a French military plane just one day after Capsat emerged in support of protesters. The unit's commander, Col Michael Randrianirina, was sworn in as transitional president for 18 to 24 months. Young protesters hailed Capsat, which has been responsible for military personnel and logistics.
"I wanted to say to them that the protests are not finished and that we must be vigilant," said Antonio, a 17-year-old protester. "We just wanted to make sure they knew who was behind this movement." Antonio reserved his praise for fellow activists, saying, "I just want to thank gen Z, the people who truly protested... because it was them who gave us the victory."
Madagascar's long struggle with corruption and poverty has led to widespread discontent. The country has a GDP per capita of $545 (£405), making it one of the poorest in the world. Its government is plagued by inefficiency and corruption.
A group calling itself Gen Z Madagascar emerged online, coordinated through Facebook, Instagram, and Signal, and took inspiration from other gen Z movements against corruption. They adopted a skull and crossbones flag that originated in Japan's One Piece anime series. The group has shown remarkable resilience in the face of violence and intimidation by security forces.
The situation in Madagascar is complex and fraught with uncertainty as the new military regime takes power. While some protesters are hopeful for change, others worry about losing their revolution to a new regime.
, i mean, who wouldn't wanna see corruption and inefficiency changed, right? 
They're all about that Gen Z movement, using socials to organize and spread their message 
. Its not easy to be part of a revolution, especially when its faced with violence and whatnot 
. But they keep going, fueled by hope for change 
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for them 
so like what's up with gen Z taking over madagascar? they're only 17 but they're already making waves 
and it's cool that capsat stepped in to support them 
but at the same time, are they gonna get stuck in a situation where they can't change anything because of the old regime? 
and what about the corruption thing? is it really that deep in madagascar or are people just making it out to be that way? 
! And I love how Capsat, the military unit that supported them, is being hailed as heroes 
. It's like, finally, some people are listening to the young folks who want change 
... and it's about time, right? 
But at the same time, I'm a bit worried about what's gonna happen next 
so I'm loving this whole Gen Z thing going on in Madagascar - they're like the ultimate rebels 
! I mean, using anime-inspired flags is genius 
, and it's amazing to see them mobilize online through socials 
.
it's like a total party, but also super serious and meaningful. The Capsat military unit showing up with guns blazin' just to support the protesters though? That's wild 
. The Gen Z movement is onto something here 
I'm loving this vibe of the young folks coming together in Antananarivo to celebrate freedom & change! 
It's amazing to see how social media can unite people across different platforms & inspire real action in the streets. The fact that Capsat, an elite military unit, came out in support of protesters is like a huge 'yes' to democracy & people's power 
. Now, it's all about keeping that momentum going and making sure the new regime delivers on its promises 
. I mean, who knew Madagascar had such a big music scene? The rapping and reggae beats were lit 
! And can we talk about how cool it is that a group of young people used social media to organize a movement 
. And what's up with the skull and crossbones flag tho? Is that from some anime or something 
... I mean, what's next? The Capsat unit just turned into another puppet government? They're just gonna keep the same old corruption and inefficiency under a different skin. And what about the protesters who got hurt during the violent clashes? Don't expect any justice from this new regime... they'll just sweep it under the rug 
. And have you seen the economy of Madagascar? $545 GDP per capita? It's a miracle anyone has food on the table, let alone a decent standard of living 
. This whole thing feels like a carefully crafted PR stunt to distract us from the real issues... mark my words 
.
like how can u even survive on that? and then there's this gen z group in madagascar who were all about protesting and fighting against the system they were so organized and determined it's actually kinda inspiring 
!!! But what really gets me is how the whole thing started from a group of young people who took matters into their own hands online