NTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina fired the prime minister and the rest of his government Monday in response to days of deadly Gen Z-led protests in the Indian Ocean island over the failure of the electricity and water supplies.
Rajoelina said in a speech on national television that Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and other government officials would stay on an interim basis until a new government is formed. He invited applications for government positions and gave a three-day time frame to review proposals for a new prime minister.
“Your demands have been heard, and I apologize if there are members of the government who have not done the work that the people expected,” Rajoelina said.
The protesters had called for the resignation of both Ntsay and Rajoelina, but Rajoelina gave no indication that he would step down.
The protests against chronic electricity and water cuts began on Thursday and drew thousands onto the streets, prompting the government to order nighttime curfews in the capital, Antananarivo, and other major cities. The demonstrations gathered momentum on social media and have mirrored recent youth-led anti-government protests in Nepal and Kenya.