Air France hangs flights to Madagascar on a crisis: Is a coup on the African island? Here's what we know

Madagascar has faced the most important unrest in years, with widespread protests led over the past three weeks by a group calling himself ‘Gen Z Madagascar’. These protests, which began on September 25, are driven by public anger over service errors and alleged government corruption and nepotism. As a result, Air France announced on Sunday that it had suspended his flights to Madagascar over the weekend, and that their resumption “will depend on a daily evaluation of the situation on the ground,” AFP reported. President states that coup attempt is underway with this rapidly rising situation that has culminated in a major poll crisis. President Andry Rajoelina announced on Sunday that an attempt at coup on Indian Ocean Island Madagascar is underway, AP reports. The coup was declared, followed by the dramatic development on Saturday, when it was seen that members of an elite army unit joined the youth-led protests against the government. In a statement from the president’s office, it is said to “inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to use the power illegally and by force” has been “initiated”. The United Nations revealed that the social unrest had caused all 22 deaths and dozens of injuries to the citizens. However, the government disputed this number. The president’s office also issued the president’s office a strong condemnation of the action. “In light of the extreme seriousness of this situation, the President of the Republic condemns this attempt to destabilization and calls on all powers of the country to unite in defense of constitutional order and national sovereignty,” Rajoelina’s office said. The statement did not immediately identify who is trying to overthrow the government. However, members of the Elite Capsat military unit led to the youth against Rajoelina on Saturday. Rajoelina first came to power as the Madagascar transitional leader after a coup in 2009. He was elected president for the first time in 2018 and was later elected for a second term in 2023. What are the demands of the protesters? The protesters called on the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina, citing the suppression of the claim of basic human rights by the government, BBC reports. According to reports, many young people in the country are uncertain and poorly paid work, which blames the government for the problems they face. A spokesman for Gen Z Madagascar told the AFP news agency that they wanted the president to retire and “clearing the National Assembly”. The protesters also want Rajoelina to take responsibility for those allegedly killed by security forces amid the tension. Some users on social media have also called on the dissolution of the Electoral Commission and the country’s Supreme Court, BBC reports.