Madagascar protesters reject president’s offer of talks
Protesters barricade a road with burning tyres during a nationwide youth-led demonstration over frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar on October 6, 2025.
Youth protesters in Madagascar on Wednesday rejected an offer to join President Andry Rajoelina's "national dialogue" with various groups, accusing his government of repression after weeks of demonstrations in the African island nation.
Inspired by similar "Gen Z" movements in Kenya and Nepal, the protests that started on September 25 pose the biggest challenge to Rajoelina's government since his re-election in 2023, giving voice to widespread discontent over rampant poverty and high-level corruption.
