Ousted Madagascan president stripped of citizenship
Published: 25/Oct/2025
Source: BBC News
Former Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina, who was ousted in a coup last week, has been stripped of his citizenship by the new regime.
The order, signed by new Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, cited local laws stipulating that people who acquired foreign citizenship should lose their Malagasy nationality.
Rajoelina, 51, obtained French citizenship a decade ago, prompting calls for his disqualification from the 2023 presidential election. But he defied those calls and went on to win.
He fled the African island nation after weeks of protests over persistent power and water shortages, culminating in a military takeover led by Col Michael Randrianirina.
Rajoelina has said he has gone into hiding for his own safety, and his whereabouts remain unclear.
When he disclosed his French nationality months before Madagascar’s last presidential election, he argued he had only secretly acquired it to make things easier for his children studying in France.
Read further: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74jnngr1e3o