A senior officer from Madagascar’s elite military unit announced on Tuesday that the armed forces have taken control of the Indian Ocean nation, effectively confirming reports that President Andry Rajoelina has been ousted from power.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina made the declaration outside the ceremonial presidential palace in Antananarivo shortly after lawmakers voted to impeach Rajoelina. The president is believed to have fled the country amid a growing mutiny by soldiers.

“The army is now assuming authority,” Randrianirina told journalists gathered at the scene.

He explained that a new council, consisting of members from both the army and the gendarmerie, would temporarily govern the country. A prime minister is expected to be appointed soon to form a civilian administration.

According to Randrianirina, the nation’s constitution and the powers of the High Constitutional Court have been suspended. He added that a national referendum would be organized within two years, though details were not yet disclosed.

Rajoelina’s leadership has been under pressure for several weeks following massive youth-driven protests calling for his resignation. The demonstrations, largely led by Generation Z activists, intensified after frequent electricity and water shortages and rising frustration with corruption and poor governance.

The situation escalated on Saturday when Randrianirina and members of his elite CAPSAT unit joined the protesters, effectively turning against the president. Rajoelina then accused them of attempting to seize power and went into hiding.

Earlier Tuesday, from an undisclosed location, Rajoelina had attempted to dissolve the lower house of parliament to avoid impeachment. Legislators, however, ignored the decree and overwhelmingly voted to remove him from office.

The 51-year-old leader’s current whereabouts remain unknown. In a social media address the previous night, he said he had fled to a “safe place” fearing for his life after the army rebellion over the weekend.

Madagascar, a former French colony, has experienced several military-backed coups since gaining independence in 1960. Rajoelina himself first rose to power in 2009 through a similar military-supported transition.

The recent wave of protests initially began as an outcry over power and water shortages but soon evolved into wider demands addressing poverty, inflation, unemployment, and alleged corruption among political elites. Many young demonstrators said they were inspired by other Gen Z movements in countries such as Nepal and Sri Lanka.

On Tuesday, thousands of protesters filled the main square in Antananarivo, chanting for Rajoelina’s resignation and welcoming the military’s intervention.

Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest nations, with roughly 75% of its 31 million citizens living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.

“We live without constant access to water or electricity,” said Soavololona Faraniaina, one of the protesters. “How can our children study in darkness? What happened to the prosperous Madagascar others once admired?”

CAPSAT, the same elite force that helped Rajoelina rise to power in 2009, has again taken a central role. The unit declared over the weekend that it was assuming command of the country’s armed forces and later installed new heads of the military and gendarmerie.

Although CAPSAT initially denied launching a coup, it has increasingly acted as the de facto authority since Saturday. Rajoelina, meanwhile, accused the group of using force to “illegally seize power.”

Despite the political turmoil, there have been no reports of major violence. Soldiers were seen celebrating alongside residents in the capital in recent days, riding armored vehicles through the streets.