Power shifts from palace to barracks: Why CAPSAT is now Madagascar’s most powerful force

Members of Madagascar's Army CAPSAT unit monitor the streets from armoured vehicles as they head to the Presidential Palace in Antananarivo, October 14, 2025. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)

Madagascar has once again descended into political turmoil after its army seized power on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, following weeks of youth-led protests and the impeachment of President Andry Rajoelina. The country’s elite CAPSAT military unit, long seen as a kingmaker in Malagasy politics, announced it had assumed control after Rajoelina fled the island nation aboard a French military aircraft.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, head of CAPSAT, declared on national radio, “We have taken the power,” confirming that the army had assumed control of state affairs. He said the military would oversee a two-year transitional period before restoring civilian rule.

Randrianirina also announced that most key state institutions had been suspended, including the Senate, the Constitutional Court, and the electoral commission. Only the National Assembly remains operational. “At the same time, after a few days, we will set up a civilian government,” he said, according to AFP.

The military’s move followed an extraordinary vote by lawmakers to impeach Rajoelina for “violating the constitution” and acting in ways “incompatible with presidential duties.” His sudden departure marked a stunning reversal for the former DJ-turned-politician, who himself had come to power in 2009 with the backing of the same military unit that has now deposed him.

How a youth uprising toppled a President

The military takeover was the culmination of weeks of escalating protests across the country, driven by anger over corruption, poverty, and worsening living conditions.

What began as demonstrations over power and water shortages quickly evolved into a nationwide movement demanding political change. By late September, Antananarivo’s central 13 May Square -- a symbolic site of past revolts -- had become the heart of the uprising.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered daily, waving national flags and banners inspired by the Japanese anime One Piece, whose skull-and-crossbones emblem became a visual marker of the protests.

The decisive turning point came when members of the CAPSAT unit joined protesters in the streets, refusing orders to disperse them. Addressing the crowd, Randrianirina asked, “Are you ready to accept a military takeover?” The crowd erupted in cheers.

The defection of CAPSAT triggered further cracks within the security forces. The paramilitary gendarmerie and sections of the police soon followed, leaving Rajoelina politically isolated. Within days, his own coalition in parliament voted to impeach him, completing his downfall.

CAPSAT: The power broker behind the scenes

The Corps d’administration des personnels et des services administratifs et techniques (CAPSAT) may sound like a bureaucratic branch, but in Madagascar’s political system, it holds immense power.

Stationed on the outskirts of Antananarivo, CAPSAT oversees logistics, personnel management, and administrative operations across the military. This control gives it the ability to paralyse or steer the entire armed forces, making it a decisive player in times of crisis.

Its influence first became evident in 2009, when CAPSAT’s defection from then-President Marc Ravalomanana’s government cleared the way for Rajoelina’s rise to power. That episode cemented CAPSAT’s reputation as the ultimate arbiter of political transitions.

Political analyst Rose Mumanya told DW that “because of the influence, the history and the legitimacy that CAPSAT has, it means that, as much as Rajoelina has leverage and control of other units, the balance of power is not in his favour right now.”

She added that while Rajoelina had tried to plant loyalists across the army, CAPSAT’s independence and institutional weight made it uniquely capable of challenging his authority.

Why CAPSAT turned against Rajoelina

The unit’s open defiance began on October 11, when soldiers from CAPSAT marched into the capital, waving the national flag and saluting protesters. Witnesses reported sporadic clashes between CAPSAT and forces loyal to Rajoelina, leaving at least one soldier dead.

Later that day, the unit issued a declaration: “From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army, whether land, air, or navy, will originate from CAPSAT headquarters.” It called on all security forces to reject “orders to shoot civilians” and to side with the population.

Within hours, CAPSAT named General Demosthene Pikulas as the new Chief of Defence Staff in a ceremony attended by Armed Forces Minister Manantsoa Deramasinjaka Rakotoarivelo, who endorsed the decision saying, “I give him my blessing.”

Despite the sweeping changes, Randrianirina initially denied orchestrating a coup. “We answered the people’s calls, but it wasn’t a coup d’état,” he told reporters. Yet, with the presidential palace under CAPSAT control and the head of state in exile, few doubted who was in charge.

The man in charge: Colonel Michael Randrianirina

Colonel Michael Randrianirina, now Madagascar’s de facto leader, hails from Sevohipoty in the Androy region. A seasoned military officer and administrator, he once governed the Androy region (2016–2018) and later commanded army units in Toliara.

In 2023, he was arrested for allegedly “instigating a military mutiny” but later released — an episode that reinforced his image as a maverick. During the recent unrest, he urged soldiers “to refuse to repress the population, to take responsibility, and to play their part.” His call resonated widely among younger troops.

A cycle of instability

Madagascar’s coup underscores the fragility of its democratic institutions. Since independence from France in 1960, the island has endured multiple military interventions, each claiming to restore order but often entrenching the army’s political dominance.

As Colonel Randrianirina pledges to hold elections “within two years,” many fear history may be repeating itself.

Political analyst Rose Mumanya warned, “If the coup is successful and Rajoelina is able to be removed from power, the repercussions will be very serious. It would be a continuation of the same cycle where you have very weak institutions and a relatively stronger army which can intervene, not for the benefit of the people but for the benefit of business and political elites.”