Madagascar: In Madagascar, Gen-Z Overthrew a Corrupt Regime but the Battle Against State Capture Has Barely Begun

What the report says

Youth-led protests in Madagascar that began in late 2025 over water and electricity shortages grew into a broader anti-corruption and pro-democracy आंदोलन, eventually driving President Andry Rajoelina into exile. According to an analysis published by The Conversation Africa and carried by AllAfrica, the unrest was led largely by Gen Z demonstrators born mostly between 1997 and 2012, who framed their demands around dignity, corruption and a broken social contract.

The article says a military-led transitional government, headed by Colonel Michael Randrianirina, then took power amid the turmoil and pledged a two-year transition toward elections. The authors argue the protests exposed not just individual wrongdoing but a deeper problem of state capture, in which political and business networks shape institutions and rules to protect their interests. They point to Madagascar’s weak public services, low electrification, and the influence of patronage networks around state bodies such as the power and water utility.

The analysis adds that anti-corruption and accountability institutions have often been ineffective, while resource-rich shadow economies, including illegal rosewood, vanilla and gold trading, have helped sustain these networks. It warns that the transition remains fragile, with concerns about delayed elections, outside influence, and public distrust of the protest movement. The piece says the coming national dialogue and the run-up to elections expected in late 2027 will be important tests of whether the country can move beyond elite capture and deliver practical reforms.