Event Summary
A major protest is planned for 25 September 2025 in downtown Antananarivo, with mobilisation rapidly growing. The demonstration was triggered by the arrest and judicial supervision of two municipal councilors who tried to organise peaceful protests against power and water cuts. Their detention sparked public outrage and solidarity from civil society and citizen groups. The Gen Z Mada collective, with over 560 members, has pledged to join, and the #DemokrasiaMainty campaign is widely circulating online, fuelling participation. Tensions are rising both on social media and on the ground, raising the risk of confrontation during the protest.
Government reaction has been increasingly hostile, with senior officials publicly criticising the campaign and dismissing civil society’s role, framing it as partisan. Information indicates that downtown Antananarivo is currently surrounded by the military, and while the situation on the ground remains calm, tensions are running high on social media, with calls for mass participation spreading rapidly.