Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as Madagascar’s new president on Friday.
This comes just days after a military takeover that forced former President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country.
Randrianirina, who led the CAPSAT army unit that mutinied and joined anti-government protesters last weekend, took the oath of office at a ceremony held at the Constitutional Court in Antananarivo, the capital.
“Today marks a historic turning point for our country.
“With the people’s fervent desire for change and love for their homeland, we are opening a new chapter in the life of our nation,” Randrianirina declared.
The ceremony, presided over by the head of the Constitutional Court, was attended by top military officers, politicians, leaders of the Gen Z protest movement, and foreign representatives from the United States, the European Union, Russia, and France.
Randrianirina pledged to collaborate with all sectors of society to draft a new constitution and establish fresh electoral laws for upcoming elections and referendums. He also praised the youth for driving the protests that toppled Rajoelina’s government.
“We are committed to breaking with the past,” he said. “Our mission is to reform the country’s administrative, socio-economic, and political systems of governance.”
