Madagascar's Political Turmoil: A President on the Run

President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar was impeached by the parliament amidst a political crisis marked by youth-led protests and defection in the military. Despite flying out on a French military jet, he refuses to step down, defending his decision to dissolve the National Assembly and calling for forthcoming elections.

In a dramatic turn of events, Madagascar's lower house of parliament voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Andry Rajoelina, who has fled abroad amid growing political unrest. The National Assembly's decision came mere hours after Rajoelina attempted to dissolve the assembly by decree, aggravating the nation's political crisis.

Rajoelina's departure on a French military jet has not deterred his resolve to hold onto power, despite escalating protests by Gen Z demonstrators demanding his resignation. The Malagasy presidency declared the parliamentary meeting unconstitutional, labeling its resolution as void.

At the heart of the tumult are protests that began over basic service failures, expanding to widespread dissatisfaction with governance and corruption. Adding to the turmoil, the elite CAPSAT military unit sided with protesters, further isolating Rajoelina and prompting warnings of attempted coups.

(With inputs from agencies.)