New Prime Minister Appointed

Malagasy president and colonel of the CAPSAT Malagasy army unit Michael Randrianirina has kept the first of his promises to Madagascar, by appointing a civilian prime minister.

Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo, an economist who worked at the World Bank, and has been chairman and ceo of the Malagasy National Industrial Bank since November 2020, was appointed to the role yesterday (Monday 20 October 2025).

He had been a technical advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for 14 months, from February 2019 to April 2020.

His first major role will be to create a ‘civilian government’ to serve under Randrianirina and his military committee, made up of officers of the Malagasy army, gendarmerie and police force.

That government would, according to Randrianirina’s pledges to Malagasy people last week, last 18-24 months, to April 2027 or October 2027, at which point full governmental and presidential elections would be held.

Former president Andry Rajoelino, speaking from a still unrevealed location, said he refused to step aside for Randrianirina, and claimed that Malagasy people are ‘being lied to’.

Randrianirina’s first challenge, however, is likely to be to calm international fears about what his rise means. The UN has condemned him becoming president, while the African Union on Thursday 16^th October, suspended Madagascar’s membership.