Madagascar’s army chief has been sworn in as president following the overthrow of President Andry Rajoelina, an event that has prompted the suspension of the southern African country from the African Union (AU).

Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in Friday morning at the High Constitutional Court in Antananarivo before a large crowd. Delegations from the US, the European Union, Russia, and France also attended, according to Al Jazeera.

“I will fully, completely, and justly fulfill the high responsibilities of my position as president … of Madagascar,” Reuters quoted Randrianirina as saying at the ceremony.

He also vowed to dedicate his “strength to defending and strengthening national unity and human rights.” 

The inauguration came three days after Randrianirina announced the army’s takeover following weeks of youth-led protests over economic hardship and chronic power outages. Events escalated when elite CAPSAT soldiers denounced alleged repression and sided with the demonstrators. The CAPSAT unit had previously helped bring President Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup before he later won the presidency in 2018 and was reelected in 2023.

Rajoelina, who fled the country last weekend, citing threats to his safety, was impeached by parliament on Tuesday. Hours later, the Constitutional Court declared a power vacuum and invited Randrianirina to take the presidency.

The ousted leader has “strongly” denounced the court’s decision as “unfounded” and criticized “the forceful seizure of power by a military faction.” 

The AU on Wednesday suspended Madagascar’s membership, denouncing the October 14 takeover as an unconstitutional change of government and barring the country from all activities until constitutional order is restored. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has equally criticized the coup, saying the global body stands ready to support Madagascar’s return to civilian rule. The Southern African Development Community and the AU have said they will send a fact-finding mission to support inclusive dialogue and a swift return to democratic governance in the country.

The move adds Madagascar to the list of former French colonies under military rule, including Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. Randrianirina has said a military-led committee and transitional administration would steer the country for up to two years before elections are held.

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