• Third week of anti-government protests across Madagascar, with university students among demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina's resignation.
• The unrest has led to teargas exchanges and a stated death toll, with authorities disputing the figures.
• Protests span multiple cities, with organizers and officials offering contrasting views on leadership and dialogue.

Madagascar’s anti-government demonstrations entered a third week this Monday, as protests spread from Antananarivo to other cities, with participants including university students demanding President Andry Rajoelina’s resignation. Police in Antananarivo fired teargas to disperse the crowds, and the demonstrations are described as the largest wave of unrest in recent years, reflecting broader grievances over poverty and corruption. The United Nations put the early-day death toll at 22 and said more than 100 were injured, a figure the government has rejected. Rajoelina said he was ready to listen to the protesters’ grievances but did not call for resignation, while a government spokesperson said the movement was being “exploited by political actors who are seeking to destabilise the country.” according to Reuters, TRT Global, and Al Jazeera.

Across the country, demonstrations have been reported in southern Toliara and in Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), with local television showing police confronting protesters. The protests—originating from anger over water and power cuts—have evolved into a broader challenge to Rajoelina’s administration. Organisers say the movement, credited to Gen Z Madagascar, has drawn inspiration from youth-led protests in Nepal and Morocco, while IMF data cited by Al Jazeera notes that about a third of Madagascar’s 30 million people have access to electricity. Ketakandriana Rafitoson of Transparency International told Reuters, “People don’t have refrigeration for medication, don’t have water for basic hygiene, and then there’s massive corruption,” adding that “these protests were triggered by visceral grievances that go to the heart of daily life.” according to Reuters, TRT Global, and Al Jazeera.

In response to the early-night unrest, authorities imposed an overnight curfew, and Rajoelina himself fired his cabinet last week in what officials described as an attempt to appease the demonstrators. A government spokesperson told Reuters that attempts to engage demonstrators have repeatedly been rebuffed, noting that “no clear or structured leadership has emerged to engage in constructive talks.” The president, who rose to power after a 2009 coup and has since been elected, faces growing pressure as protests continue and officials debate next steps. according to Reuters, TRT Global, and Al Jazeera.