Former Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, ousted in a military coup just last week, has been stripped of his Malagasy citizenship by the new regime. The move was signed by Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo and cites local laws that require people who have acquired foreign citizenship to lose their national identity.
Rajoelina, 51, had obtained French citizenship a decade ago, sparking calls for him to be disqualified from last year's presidential election. However, he ignored these warnings and went on to win the election. He then fled the country after weeks of protests over power and water shortages, which culminated in a military takeover led by Colonel Michael Randrianirina.
Rajoelina has since gone into hiding for his own safety, with his whereabouts remaining unknown. When he revealed his French nationality months before Madagascar's last presidential election, he claimed to have only secretly acquired it to make things easier for his children studying in France.
The new military regime, however, has taken a harder stance on Rajoelina's actions, stripping him of his citizenship in an attempt to legitimize its own rule. Protesters had hoped that Rajoelina would resign and pave the way for a smooth democratic transition, but instead, he clung to power, leading to the military takeover.
Now, as the new leader, Randrianirina has sworn himself in and formed a new government, promising to hold elections within two years. The move has been seen as an attempt to quell further opposition and establish stability, but Rajoelina's ouster and subsequent citizenship stripping have raised concerns about the legitimacy of the regime.
Rajoelina, 51, had obtained French citizenship a decade ago, sparking calls for him to be disqualified from last year's presidential election. However, he ignored these warnings and went on to win the election. He then fled the country after weeks of protests over power and water shortages, which culminated in a military takeover led by Colonel Michael Randrianirina.
Rajoelina has since gone into hiding for his own safety, with his whereabouts remaining unknown. When he revealed his French nationality months before Madagascar's last presidential election, he claimed to have only secretly acquired it to make things easier for his children studying in France.
The new military regime, however, has taken a harder stance on Rajoelina's actions, stripping him of his citizenship in an attempt to legitimize its own rule. Protesters had hoped that Rajoelina would resign and pave the way for a smooth democratic transition, but instead, he clung to power, leading to the military takeover.
Now, as the new leader, Randrianirina has sworn himself in and formed a new government, promising to hold elections within two years. The move has been seen as an attempt to quell further opposition and establish stability, but Rajoelina's ouster and subsequent citizenship stripping have raised concerns about the legitimacy of the regime.
. I mean, he had all these chances to leave Madagascar when things got rough, but he stuck it out. Now he's in hiding and his French passport is being used against him 
. Stripping him of his citizenship is a pretty harsh move, especially considering he claimed he just wanted to help his kids out 
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. If they're really committed to stability and democracy, shouldn't they be supporting Rajoelina in a peaceful transition? Instead, it seems like they're just silencing him and trying to quash opposition 
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. Will the new regime follow through on their promise of elections within two years? Can we trust them to be fair and transparent? There's just so many questions...
This whole thing is pretty shady... like how they took away Andry's citizenship just 'cause he got French one, that's kinda harsh, right? 
I mean, wouldn't that be a total bummer for his kids who were studying in France? 
That Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo is totes trying to legitimize the new regime by taking out their former president. But, like, is that really fair? 
I'm low-key worried about this whole situation 
Anyway, stripping him of his citizenship just feels like a power move to me. Like, what's next? They're gonna take away people's passports and IDs for speaking out against them? 
I'm low-key worried about what's gonna happen next tho... will Rajoelina be able to come out of hiding ? and will the protests die down ? stay tuned, fam ! 
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. But seriously, stripping him of his Malagasy citizenship is basically saying "we're not gonna let you back in, ever". And it's not like he didn't see this coming, he's always been super paranoid about something. I'm kinda worried about what this means for the future of Madagascar, now that Rajoelina's out and the new regime is in power 
. Like, didn't he know that was gonna happen if he tried 2 run for pres again? 
. But Rajaonarivelo & co r really trying 2 legitimize their rule by stripping him of all connections 
. It's like, "hey, we're the real deal now" 
. it's like they're trying to legitimize their own rule by taking away Rajoelina's rights, you feel? 
- we ended up in this tiny town that has the best food trucks ever! I mean, who needs fancy restaurants when you can get a delicious croissant or a juicy burger at 3 am? Anyway, reminds me of how sometimes things just don't go as planned... like Andry Rajoelina's whole situation 
, and then this? 
... but honestly, it's not all his fault 
, but maybe he should've thought things through more carefully 
.
... like, isn't that just a way of saying "we're in charge now" 
. The protests were a cry for help 
... he was just trying to lead his country in a different direction 
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. It's gonna be interesting to see how the international community reacts - are they gonna support this move or call out the military for stripping someone of their citizenship? 