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Former Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina, who was ousted in a coup last week, has been stripped of his citizenship by the new regime.<\/p>\n
The order, signed by new Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, cited local laws stipulating that people who acquired foreign citizenship should lose their Malagasy nationality.<\/p>\n
Rajoelina, 51, obtained French citizenship a decade ago, prompting calls for his disqualification from the 2023 presidential election. But he defied those calls and went on to win.<\/p>\n
He fled the African island nation after weeks of protests over persistent power and water shortages, culminating in a military takeover led by Col Michael Randrianirina.<\/p>\n
Rajoelina has said he has gone into hiding for his own safety, and his whereabouts remain unclear.<\/p>\n
When he disclosed his French nationality months before Madagascar’s last presidential election, he argued he had only secretly acquired it to make things easier for his children studying in France.<\/p>\n
In recent weeks, he had faced demonstrations initially organised by youth movement Gen Z Mada and inspired by similar anti-government protests in Nepal, which were only exacerbated when his government responded with violence.<\/p>\n
Rajoelina sacked his energy minister and then his government – but this did little to quell the calls for him to step down.<\/p>\n
Protesters had hoped that Rajoelina would resign to pave the way for a smooth, democratic transition.<\/p>\n
Instead, he clung to power, eventually leading to Madagascar’s elite military unit, of which Randrianirina was chief, to seize power.<\/p>\n
He has now been sworn in and has formed a new government, pledging to hold elections within two years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n