Gen Z Madagascar logo. Used with permission.

For years, Madagascar has faced repeated social crises, primarily due to frequent power outages and water supply cuts in homes lasting hours, if not days. These circumstances have been a source of frustration, sparking fresh protests in the country in September 2025.

Most people usually remain quiet about these cuts, primarily out of fear of arrest or reprisal from the government. However, infuriated young people, part of Generation Z,  called for protests through the spontaneous movement “Leo Délestage” (Fed Up With Electricity Cut-Offs).

The call for peaceful demonstrations was shared widely on social media, attracting thousands of people to protest peacefully against the daily outages in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, and several other regions, and reclaim their fundamental right to water and electricity. The situation took a violent turn with disorderly behavior and late-night unrest, leaving several injured and at least five dead, including two children.

Fragile infrastructure

In Madagascar, the state-owned company Jirama is responsible for producing and distributing electricity and drinking water to the country's 30 million residents. However, fluctuating water levels during the dry season, dilapidated facilities, and hydraulic dams that do not provide enough water are leaving citizens thirsty and without regular utility access.

In Antananarivo, some districts experience several hours of power outages, and many residents don’t receive any or very little running water. Tankers and emergency tankers fall short, and well water, which is often untreated, becomes the only option available.

Due to a lack of water, residents line up with their containers in front of public pumps, which only provide a trickle of water and open at set times. Also, the water is subject to a fee: MGA 2,000  (about USD 0.50) for 20 litres.

Containers lined up for water supplies. Photo taken from the Ny vaovaon'ny Kolo TV Facebook account. Photo used with permission.

State violence

On September 25, 2025, the authorities banned the protest scheduled to take place in Ambohijatovo public park in Antananarivo, but protesters defied these restrictions. Although demonstrations remained peaceful, the authorities fired tear gas and deployed an extensive security force presence, making several arrests. Witnesses report cases of physical violence against the protesters, including online influencers.

This TV5 Monde video shows tear gas being fired when protesters attempted to enter Ambohijatovo stadium to protest:

A protester in the video stated:

Nous avons besoin d’électricité, les entrepreneurs n’en peuvent plus.

We need electricity; businesspeople can’t take much more.

The signs that protesters held up read messages such as: “Let us express our rights,” “People are fed up with power outages,” and “We don’t want trouble, just recognition of our rights.”

Protesters holding up signs. Photo: MaybeMatchbox, used with permission

Looting and curfews imposed

At nightfall on September 25, looting broke out in several districts of Antananarivo. In response, the Analamanga region Police Chief, Angelo Ravelonarivo, announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew from 7 pm to 5 am, to remain in force until calm was restored.

Despite this restriction, acts of vandalism continued throughout the night. Looters targeted supermarkets, shopping malls, and banks, taking advantage of the complete absence of law enforcement to loot everything they could. Fires were started in various places, sparking great concern among residents.

Shops set ablaze. Photo: Rossana Lanja, used with permission

Reactions on social media

Internet users shared their feelings, various images, and pleas for help online. These posts simultaneously reflect their outrage, fatigue, and hopes for youth-led change within the country.

This video of a woman, reportedly named Alissa, who is the mother of a three-month-old baby, crossing the police roadblock on her quad bike has circulated widely on social networks, especially Facebook.

Although people praised her boldness, calling her a courageous woman, she was soon arrested. Fitiavana Mickael, a Malagasy influencer who police arrested and released the following day, called for this woman’s release.

Je demande également la libération d'Alissa car c'est une mère qui a réclamé la justice.

I also demand Alissa’s release, as she is a mother calling for justice.

Following this appeal and that of other internet users, she was released.

On Facebook, Ohappydeal.mg, one of the vandalized businesses, expressed its sadness over these events:

« Ce que j’ai construit en 12 ans est parti en un clin d’œil.
Ça fait mal 😭💔
J’accepte ta volonté, Seigneur 🙏 »

What I built over 12 years is gone in the blink of an eye.
That hurts 😭💔
I accept your will, Lord 🙏

Many professionals have spoken out, expressing their solidarity, outrage, and even calling for tangible solutions to this crisis. On LinkedIn, Malagasy citizen Lalaina Minah Ranaivomanana posted:

Je suis de cette fameuse Gen Z de Madagascar ❤️🇲🇬.
Nous avons trimé pour trouver du travail, et lorsqu'on en a eu un, on nous prend 20% de notre salaire. La majorité d'entre nous ont du mal à joindre les deux bouts. Mais nous payons nos impôts de bon coeur POUR NOTRE PAYS.
Nous payons les factures d'eau et d'électricité. Nous essayons tous de donner de notre personne et de faire de notre mieux.

Pourtant :
👉 Nous n'avons que 3 heures d'électricité par jour
👉 Nous devons attendre 1H à 3H du matin pour avoir de l'eau : une longue queue pour ESPERER remplir nos bidons jaunes
👉 Nous ne sommes pas en sécurité dans notre propre pays

Nous n'avons pas engagé de violence !
Nous ne voulons pas provoquer les forces de l'ordre ! D'ailleurs nous avons pensé qu'ils étaient là pour nous protèger 💔

Nous voulons juste DE L'EAU ET DE L'ÉLECTRICITÉ. Nous ne faisons que FAIRE VALOIR NOS DROITS ! 🇲🇬🇲🇬

I am part of Madagascar’s famous Gen Z ❤️🇲🇬.
We worked hard to find work, but when we did, they took 20 percent of our salary. Although we readily pay our taxes FOR OUR COUNTRY, most of us struggle to make ends meet.
We pay water and electricity bills. We all try to pay our dues and do our best.

However:
👉 We only have three hours of electricity per day
👉 We have to wait one to three hours in a long line for water, HOPING to fill our yellow containers
👉 We are not safe in our own country

We didn’t engage in violence! We didn’t want to provoke the police! In fact, we thought they were there to protect us 💔

We just want WATER AND ELECTRICITY. We are only ASSERTING OUR RIGHTS! 🇲🇬🇲🇬

Also on LinkedIn, Santatra Rakotovao shared how the power outages affect her freelance work, appealing to human rights defenders and international legal experts to monitor the situation closely:

Tu t’étonnes que les réunions en ligne depuis Madagascar soient souvent retardées ou même annulées ?
Essaie de pitcher ton client quand la lumière s’éteint sans prévenir.

Essaie de livrer un projet quand tu dois d’abord faire la queue avec des bidons parce qu’il n’y a pas d’eau au robinet.

Ici, le peuple paie ses factures.
Mais au lieu de services, il récolte coupures, obscurité, soif et VIOLENCE.

Et malgré ça, certains osent encore dire aux freelances Malgache :
« Ton travail vaut 200 € maximum. »
Comme si survivre dans ces conditions ne demandait pas une force et une résilience hors norme.

À Madagascar, ce n’est pas du low cost.
C’est du talent bridé par l’injustice.
C’est une jeunesse qui devrait créer, mais qui se bat juste pour allumer la lumière et remplir un verre d’eau.

J’appelle ici les défenseurs des droits humains et du droit international : regardez de près la situation.

Ce n’est pas seulement un problème de factures ou de freelances. C’est une question de dignité humaine et de justice.

hashtag#Madagascar hashtag#HumanRights hashtag#StopViolence hashtag#Generation

You wonder why online meetings from Madagascar are often delayed or cancelled?
Try pitching to your customers when the light goes out without warning.

Try delivering a project when you must first wait in line with your containers because the tap doesn’t have any water.

Here, the people pay their bills.
However, they get cuts, darkness, thirst, and VIOLENCE instead of services.

Yet despite this, some people still dare to tell Malagasy freelancers: ‘Your work is worth EUR 200 maximum.’
As if surviving in these conditions doesn’t require extraordinary strength and resilience.

In Madagascar, this is injustice holding back talent.
Young people who should be creating are fighting to turn on the lights and fill a glass of water.

I call on human rights and international law defenders to closely monitor the situation.

This isn’t just a bill and freelancers’ issue. It’s a matter of human dignity and justice.

hashtag#Madagascar hashtag#HumanRights hashtag#StopViolence hashtag#Generation

On September 26, 2025, the protesters continued their march throughout the provinces. In the Antsiranana ou Diego Suarez Province, northern Madagascar, a university student was shot and killed by police. A video of the attack was captured by Fit Prod-Action and was later aired by the TV and radio station KOLO TV. Students from the University of Antsiranana marched towards the town center with the body of their classmate.

On September 27, the situation took another turn when President Andry Rajoelina dismissed Energy Minister, Olivier Jean Baptiste. Although this decision was presented as a solution to appease public anger, it wasn’t enough to calm the tensions on the streets. Protesters believe the problem far exceeds a simple change of minister and have continued their efforts.