GNV News October 6, 2025

In Madagascar, since September 25, anti-government demonstrations by citizens—led mainly by Generation Z (※) protesting power outages and water cuts—have continued. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced on the 29th that at least 22 people were killed and 100 injured in clashes between demonstrators and security forces. In response to the protests, President Andry Rajoelina dissolved the cabinet on the 29th. However, many young people have indicated their intention to fight until the president resigns, and there is no prospect of the situation being resolved. As of October 4, anti-government groups are expanding the scope of the protests. Meanwhile, government supporters, though on a smaller scale, are also holding rallies, suggesting the confrontation between the two sides is deepening.

Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries and has faced government corruption. These domestic conditions are seen as having provided fertile ground for the current protests. In these demonstrations, many young people, under the name “Gen Z Madagascar,” are said to have primarily used Facebook to advance the organizing of their activities.

Since August 2025, anti-government demonstrations led by Generation Z adept at using digital tools have been seen around the world. For example, in Indonesia in late August, after politicians received high housing allowances in addition to their salaries, anger over the slumping economy escalated into protests. In Nepal in early September, demonstrations against political corruption and cronyism were held, and the government was toppled. Also in Morocco, since late September, protests—led mainly by Generation Z—are continuing against government spending on stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup and a substandard health-care system, among other issues.

Regarding the interconnections among these anti-government protests, it has been noted that the protests in Nepal, which succeeded in toppling the government, heightened the sense of collective identity in Madagascar. In fact, among participants in Madagascar’s anti-government protests, some joined a Generation Z community in Nepal on the online communication service “Discord” to learn from movements by their peers in Asian countries.

The causes of anti-government movements occurring around the world vary by country, but it is certain that social media has become a place for Generation Z to share dissatisfaction with society and strengthen cross-border coordination.

※ Generation Z refers to those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2010s who grew up in an environment where digital technology and the internet were widespread.

Learn more about Madagascar → 「Madagascar: A Mountain of Challenges」

Learn more about protests and the media around the world → 「Was ‘The Year of Protests’ reported?」

President Andry Rajoelina delivering a speech at the International Labour Conference in 2019 (International Labour Organization ILO / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])