Antananarivo, Madagascar – October 9, 2025: President Andry Rajoelina’s desperate plea for “one year” to solve Madagascar’s electricity crisis has highlighted the government’s struggle to address basic infrastructure needs while the country’s Gen Z-led protest movement enters its third week. As protesters continue their demonstrations despite a violent crackdown that has killed at least 22 people according to UN officials, Madagascar faces its most significant political challenge in over a decade.
The October 8 “national dialogue” at the presidential palace, attended by over 1,500 representatives from civil society, churches, and universities, was boycotted by the youth movement driving the protests. While Rajoelina promised 105 megawatts of thermal power, 100 megawatts of solar parks, and emergency generators to be “transported by plane if necessary,” Gen Z Madagascar activists dismissed these pledges as insufficient responses to years of infrastructure neglect.
JIRAMA’s Chronic Failures and Infrastructure Crisis
Madagascar’s energy crisis stems from the systematic failure of the state utility JIRAMA (Jiro sy Rano Malagasy), which serves only 36 percent of the country’s approximately 32.7 million people with electricity access. In Antananarivo, residents endure daily power outages lasting up to 12 hours, while the national electricity system operates far below international standards.
The International Monetary Fund’s 2025 analysis reveals JIRAMA’s operational inefficiencies: while thermal power generation has increased from 15 percent to over 45 percent of total production, operational performance has deteriorated significantly. The utility company’s cost recovery rate fell from 118 percent in 2008 to current levels that cover less than half of operational expenses, requiring continuous government subsidies. These technical failures occur despite fuel consumption rates of 250 grams per kilowatt-hour, significantly above reference values for similar power plants.
The root causes extend beyond technical issues to structural governance problems. JIRAMA must resort to expensive, directly negotiated power purchase agreements with independent producers, while thermal generation costs have reached USD 0.70-0.80 per kilowatt-hour. These high costs result in low collection rates and inadequate maintenance funding, creating a cycle of deteriorating service quality.
French Economic Influence and Development Priorities
Critics point to the €152 million cable car project as emblematic of misplaced development priorities. The 12-kilometer cable car system, financed through French loans including €28 million from the French Treasury and €88 million from Société Générale, began operations in June 2024. While designed to transport up to 75,000 passengers daily and reduce traffic congestion in the capital, the project has faced criticism for its cost relative to urgent infrastructure needs.
The cable car ticket price of nearly one euro is approximately six times the cost of a bus ticket, making it inaccessible to most Malagasy citizens who live below the poverty line. According to the World Bank’s 2024 poverty assessment, 75.2 percent of Madagascar’s population lives below the national poverty line, with rural poverty at 79.9 percent and urban poverty at 55.5 percent.
Constitutional Controversy Over Dual Citizenship
President Rajoelina’s acquisition of French citizenship through naturalization in November 2014 has become a contentious political issue. Documents leaked in 2023 confirmed that Rajoelina was naturalized by decree signed by then-French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and the Interior Minister. Under Article 42 of Madagascar’s nationality code, voluntary acquisition of foreign citizenship results in automatic loss of Malagasy nationality.
Rajoelina has defended his French naturalization, stating it was “in the interests of his children who were to pursue university studies in France”. However, legal experts argue this violates Article 46 of Madagascar’s Constitution, which requires presidential candidates to hold exclusively Malagasy nationality. The Constitutional High Court dismissed challenges to his eligibility, declaring itself incompetent to rule on nationality matters.
Gen Z Movement and Global Symbolism
Madagascar’s youth protests have adopted the One Piece pirate flag as their symbol, part of a global phenomenon where Gen Z activists use the manga character’s Jolly Roger flag featuring a grinning skull in a straw hat. In Madagascar, protesters have localized the symbol by incorporating the traditional satroka bucket hat worn by the Betsileo ethnic group, creating a uniquely Malagasy expression of resistance.
The protests, organized primarily through social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram accounts like “Gen Z Madagascar,” have moved beyond electricity and water issues to demand Rajoelina’s resignation and broader political reforms. The movement reflects broader global youth activism, with similar One Piece flags appearing at protests in Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other countries.
International human rights organizations have condemned the government’s response. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk expressed shock at the violent response by security forces, while Amnesty International’s Regional Director Tigere Chagutah called for investigations into the killings. The UN confirmed at least 22 deaths and over 100 injuries since protests began September 25.
In response to the escalating crisis, Rajoelina dismissed Prime Minister Christian Ntsay’s government on September 29 and appointed Major General Ruphin Zafisambo as the new Prime Minister on October 6. However, protesters rejected these moves and continued their demands for the president’s resignation.
The protests have exposed deeper structural problems in Madagascar’s governance and development model. Despite significant natural resources including renewable energy potential—with 2,800 hours of annual sunshine and 7,800 megawatts of theoretical hydroelectric capacity—the country remains trapped in a cycle of poverty and infrastructure failure. The youth movement’s adoption of global symbols of resistance while addressing local grievances represents a new form of political expression that transcends traditional party politics.
As Madagascar enters its third week of sustained protests, the government’s promises of infrastructure improvements ring hollow to a generation that has grown up with chronic power outages, water shortages, and limited economic opportunities. The One Piece flags flying over Antananarivo’s streets symbolize more than protest against utility failures—they represent a generational demand for accountability, competent governance, and development that serves citizens rather than elite interests.
Whether this youth-led movement can force meaningful political and economic reforms will determine not only Madagascar’s immediate future but also serve as a test case for similar movements across Africa and the Global South.
