From Prison to Presidency: Profile of Col. Michael Randrianirina, Madagascar’s new President

Colonel Michael Randrianirina is a Malagasy military officer and politician who became the ninth President of Madagascar and Chairman of the Council of the Presidency for the Re-Foundation of the Republic following the 2025 Malagasy coup d’état.

His emergence marked a dramatic shift in the nation’s political direction after years of tension under the administration of former president Andry Rajoelina.

Background

Born in 1974 in Sevohipoty, a village in the Androy region of southern Madagascar, Randrianirina trained at the Antsirabe Military Academy, where he began a career defined by discipline and ambition.

Early career

He first entered public service as Governor of Androy between 2016 and 2018, during the presidency of Hery Rajaonarimampianina, and later served as an infantry battalion commander in Toliara.

His leadership in the military earned him recognition, leading to his appointment as Commander of CAPSAT, Madagascar’s elite military unit, in 2022.

Personal life

A member of the Malagasy Lutheran Church, Randrianirina remains a complex and controversial figure  viewed by supporters as a reformist soldier determined to rebuild the republic, and by critics as a military strongman whose ascent underscores Madagascar’s fragile democracy.

Challenges

Randrianirina’s political journey took a decisive turn in November 2023, when he was arrested and charged with instigating a military mutiny and attempting a coup d’état after criticizing President Rajoelina’s rule.

He was swiftly tried, imprisoned, and later released in February 2024 with a suspended sentence for “attacking state security.”

Despite this, he returned to his post in CAPSAT and regained influence within the armed forces.

Rise to power

By October 2025, as youth-led protests often described as Gen Z uprisings intensified across Madagascar, Randrianirina publicly urged soldiers to refuse orders to fire on demonstrators.

His call resonated with segments of the military, leading to mass defections and the eventual fall of Rajoelina’s government.

On October 14, 2025, CAPSAT forces occupied the Presidential Palace, and Randrianirina declared himself interim president, suspending key state institutions, including the Senate, the High Constitutional Court, and the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Three days later, on October 17, he was formally sworn in as President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar by the High Constitutional Court.

As leader, Randrianirina has pledged to restore order, national unity, and sovereignty, promising elections within two years and the establishment of a transitional council composed of representatives from the army, gendarmerie, and national police.