'France out': Exposing a wound that never healed

THE recent protests in Antananarivo, featuring placards declaring “France out” and “Rajoelina and Macron out; highlight more than just opposition to the current president and his perceived connections to Paris.

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These demonstrations reveal a deep-seated and enduring sense of hurt, suspicion, and resentment within Malagasy political culture, stemming back centuries. The message is clear: the Malagasy public is not only rejecting Andry Rajoelina but also the lingering spectre of France, which many believe continues to behave like a colonial power.

A twist in the political crisis

A series of dramatic events has fueled suspicion in Madagascar. Following weeks of public protests sparked by water and electricity shortages, and widespread frustration over corruption, an army unit known as Capsat declared its support for demonstrators demanding President Rajoelina’s resignation. The president's whereabouts became unclear, prompting the National Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against him for desertion of duty.

Rumours quickly spread that Rajoelina had been evacuated on a French military aircraft, a claim that France has neither confirmed nor denied. In the midst of this turmoil, many observers interpreted a presidential pardon granted to two French nationals imprisoned in Madagascar as a tacit agreement. The anger sparked by these events extends beyond Rajoelina’s governance and his French connections, touching upon the enduring legacy of a postcolonial relationship widely perceived as neocolonialism.

Memory as burden and weapon