The leader of Madagascar’s Military Couply has been sworn in as President of the Beleaguered Island Nation

A military colonel who seized power in a military coup was sworn in as Madagascar’s new leader on Friday in a lightning-quick coup that seized the president and sent him fleeing the country.

Col Michael Randriarina, the commander of the Elite Army Unit, took the dignity of the elite to become the new President in a ceremony in the main center of the Constitutional Court of the highest country and in front of its nine red judges.

His ascension to the Office of the President came just three days after announcing that the armed forces were taking power on the Indian Ocean island of around 30 million people on the East Coast.

The United Nations has condemned the military coup as unconstitutional but there has been little reaction from other countries, including Madagascar’s colonial ruler, France.

The formation – which came after three weeks of anti-government protests mainly by young people – led Madagascar to be suspended from the African Union.

That opposition to President Rajoelina is unknown after he left the country, saying that his life was in danger after the defection of soldiers loyal to Randrinanina. He reportedly escaped from a French military plane.

In his absence, Rajoilina was put to the vote in Parliament on Tuesday, shortly before the colonel announced that the military was taking power.

He was closed before

Randrianirina, believed to be 50 or 51 years old, exchanged military camouflage for a black suit and blue tie at a military ceremony, which was attended by foreign diplomats. He took his oath with military guards standing in honor on either side of the room.

The Colonel, who appeared in connection with the rebellion of his Capsat unit of the army less than a week ago, was briefly arrested two years ago to be tried two years ago. He said he spent most of the three months he was arrested in late 2023 and early 2024 in a military hospital.

Madagascar has high rates of poverty, affecting about 75 percent of the population, according to the World Bank. The former French colony has had a tumultuous history of political instability since independence in 1960 including several coups and attempted coups.

The World Bank has estimated that GDP per capita almost stopped between independence in 1960 and 2020. Fraud has grown again, with the country rising 140 from Transparency International’s fraud levels.

Rajoelina herself came to power as interim leader in 2009 after military conscription.

Randrianirina said that Madagascar will be run by a military council with him as President between 18 months and two years before new elections, which means any new elections, which means that young people who inspire rebellion against Rajoelina may have to wait a long time before they can choose their new leader.

Rajoelina’s Office said earlier this week that the Supreme Constitutional Court invited Randrinirina to become the new President was wrong and that some judges of the Court were threatened.

A few signs of violence since it took

The protests, which began last month, have put other Gen Z-LED installations in Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. The first young Madagascans began to take to the streets last month to fight for common water and energy, but raised other issues, including the cost of living, and the possibility and suspicion of corruption.

Randrianirina was caught up in this momentum last weekend by rebelling against Rajoelina and joining the anti-government protests that called on the President and government ministers to stand down. There was a brief clash between his soldiers and members of the Gendarmerie security forces loyal to Rajoelina, in which one soldier was killed, the colonel said.

But there was no great violence in the streets and the troops of Radinarina were happy and occupied by the Madagascans.

Randrianirina said in an interview with the decoration machine on Wednesday where the army is taken that “it takes responsibility as citizens and citizens.”

“From now on, we will return the country to its former glory, fight against self-doubt, and gradually try to solve the social problems it is facing, when he announced his intention to take the position of President.

On Thursday, General António Gutters condemned the constitutional reform of the government and called for “a return to constitutional order and the rule of law, said Stéphane Dujarric.

The African Union said it “absolutely refuses” to take over.