Description: Violent protests in Madagascar continued with police forces clashing with protesters on the streets of the country’s capital, Antananarivo. President Andry Rajoelina has repeatedly ignored calls to resign blaming foreign influence and NGOs for bankrolling the demonstrations aiming to gain access to Madagascar’s vas mineral resources. Rajoelina also appointed Major General, Ruphin Fortunat Dimbisoa Zafisambo, to be the country’s new Prime Minister. The President stated that the public needed someone with public credibility, integrity to deliver rapid results and address the growing issues in the country. The protesters have so far failed to mobilize into a comprehensive movement reflected through organizational structure while some of them feared the government would manage to suppress the demonstrations and the movement would start losing momentum.
Impact: Madagascar’s President continues to navigate and maneuver through the political and civil crisis in the country avoiding ceding power to his political opposition or calling for early elections. The nomination of the Major General as the country’s new Prime Minister is a move set to appease both the instigators of the unrest, as they would be granted someone outside of the political orbit in the country to address their demands, and the military of the country which has a long history of coups. The appointment of the Major General also positions Madagascar’s political opposition in a defensive stance as the incumbent government is increasing its oppressive crackdown on the demonstrations signaling to be a difficult obstacle in case the crisis protracts further. The protests are expected to persist for the time being since the basis of the demonstrations has been unabated access to elementary services such as water and electricity, which has become a core for expanding the demands of the demonstrations into a larger charter towards spiraling corruption, unemployment and poverty.