Overview

• Thousands rallied in Antananarivo and other cities, with police using tear gas to disperse crowds in the biggest unrest since the run-up to the 2023 election.
• Protesters called for Rajoelina to quit, and the Gen Z organizers also demanded the resignation of the government and the capital’s prefect.
• The youth-driven movement, organized via social media and rallying under a One Piece pirate flag, began over chronic water and power cuts but now reflects broader grievances.
• Rajoelina dismissed his energy minister on Friday and visited a working-class neighborhood on Sunday, pledging to fix service failures.
• After Thursday’s march, the capital saw overnight looting without police intervention, which Gen Z alleges was carried out by paid groups to tarnish the protests.