According to BBC News, the commander of Madagascar’s elite military unit that claims to have taken control of the country has declared the suspension of all constitutional bodies – except for the lower house of parliament, which had voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina earlier on Tuesday.
As reported by Reuters, the suspended institutions include the senate, the constitutional court, and the electoral commission.
This political turmoil follows weeks of unrest led by young demonstrators protesting against severe and ongoing power and water shortages. The protests quickly expanded, with citizens voicing frustration over rising living costs and demanding the resignation of President Rajoelina.
Over the weekend, members of an influential military force known as CAPSAT unexpectedly left their base and aligned themselves with the demonstrators.
Shortly after, unverified reports suggested that President Rajoelina had been evacuated by French forces, possibly en route to Dubai. However, no official confirmation has been issued.
On Monday night, the president stated he was in a secure location following what he described as an assassination attempt. Additionally, just hours before the parliament was set to vote on his impeachment for allegedly abandoning his position, Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the national assembly.
Despite this, the impeachment proceedings went ahead, resulting in an overwhelming vote to remove him from office and CAPSAT subsequently declared it was assuming control of the government.
