Madagascar erupted into cheers on Tuesday at the stunning fall of President Andry Rajoelina, who was impeached by Parliament and ousted by the military in rapid succession, following weeks of violent, youth-led protests that rocked this impoverished southern African island nation.
But for all the celebrations over his removal, there were also big questions on what comes next.
After Parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach Mr. Rajoelina on Tuesday, soldiers quickly entered the presidential palace and announced they would be dissolving all of Madagascar’s major institutions — including the highest court, the electoral commission and the Senate — but leaving in place the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament.
Mr. Rajoelina, who just a day earlier said he had gone into hiding because of threats on his life, swiftly issued a statement condemning “the illegal declaration made today by a faction of renegade military” and insisted that he “remains fully in power.”
The developments capped a turbulent 24 hours of political maneuvering and left Madagascar’s future leadership in question at a time the country relies heavily on foreign aid and instability could lead to international isolation.
The country had been roiled by protests for weeks over the government’s failure to provide basic needs, including reliable water and electricity. But the immediate aftermath of the impeachment and military takeover was euphoria in Antananarivo, the capital.
Thousands gathered at a plaza in the center of the city to celebrate what they believed was Mr. Rajoelina’s ouster. Led by young people who have taken inspiration from Gen Z protest movements worldwide, the revelers danced to reggae, waved Malagasy flags and chanted expletives to let Mr. Rajoelina, 51, know that he must go.
Some of the president’s detractors say that he is too beholden to France, Madagascar’s former colonial ruler, and that he has squandered the country’s potential. Madagascar, with a population of 32 million, is rich in mineral resources and biodiversity, and is the largest producer of vanilla in the world.
“He is the reason why we suffer,” said Eddy Bessa, a 35-year-old artist, celebrating with the crowd with a Malagasy flag tucked into his dreadlocks. “He is the reason for the corruption. He is the reason for jobless people. And he is the reason why our country lost our own culture.”
Despite the joy, it was far from certain that the military takeover would end the corruption that had ignited the protests.
Mr. Rajoelina (pronounced rah-JOE-el) himself came to power in 2009 through a coup in which he was assisted by the same military unit, CAPSAT, that is now leading the takeover. And across Africa, military control following youth-led movements has often led to more upheaval.
Speaking in front of the presidential palace in Antananarivo, Col. Michael Randrianirina, who is serving as the country’s interim leader, announced the formation of a transitional government that he said would last for no more than two years. The transitional government would include civilians, and would arrange a referendum to create a new constitution and new institutions, said Colonel Randrianirina.
When Madagascar’s security forces turned against Mr. Rajoelina and joined the protesters over the weekend, it sparked rumors that the president had fled the country. He announced in an address posted on social media Monday night that he was in a safe place on a mission abroad, but did not confirm his location.
He defiantly bucked expectations that he would resign, saying that he would stay in power and named a litany of measures he was undertaking to address protesters’ concerns, particularly frequent electricity and water outages.
In response to Mr. Rajoelina’s resistance, opposition lawmakers led an effort to hold an impeachment vote in the National Assembly. Before they could do so, Mr. Rajoelina dissolved the body, posting on social media that the decision was “necessary to restore order within our nation and strengthen democracy. The people must be heard once again.”
Members of Parliament dismissed the move to dissolve the body as unconstitutional because it had been posted it on social media and was not formally signed or stamped.
During the vote, lawmakers read a list of allegations against Mr. Rajoelina, including abuse of power, illegal commercial transactions and giving improper gifts. Lawmakers then approached the front of the chamber one by one, putting paper ballots into a cardboard box.
When the voting was completed, a speaker read the ballots one at a time. Once he reached the 105-vote threshold needed to impeach, many lawmakers stood and cheered. The vote was the first presidential impeachment in the country since Madagascar gained independence from France in 1960.
“I am free from my chains,” several lawmakers chanted as they waved their arms. “I was a slave, but now I am free.”
Alban Menavolo, an independent member of Parliament, said the Gen Z protesters did the right thing by taking their grievances to the streets, and that now lawmakers were doing their part.
“The international community needs to recognize what the military does now because they are really thinking about the Malagasy people’s future,” he said.
Mr. Rajoelina issued a statement saying that the impeachment process was unconstitutional because the meeting of Parliament did not receive the proper decree. Even though he has questioned the legality of his ouster, Mr. Rajoelina appears to have few options to cling to power.
As cars and motorbikes honked their horns in celebration along Independence Avenue in Antananarivo after sunset, the masses of screaming young people appeared certain that the days of Mr. Rajoelina, who was in his third term, were over.
Several people said they trusted that the military would steer the country in the right direction, but did not want to dwell too much on what lies ahead. That was for another day.
“Today,” said Sandy Rasoarimalala, 33, “is a victory.”
John Eligon is the Johannesburg bureau chief for The Times, covering a wide range of events and trends that influence and shape the lives of ordinary people across southern Africa.
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