Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness at receiving news that the East African nation of Madagascar is experiencing days of social unrest due to violence following protests led by groups of young people over cuts to water and electricity services. In his appeal at the end of the Wednesday General Audience in Saint Peter’s Square, the Pope mentioned the “violent clashes” between the police and demonstrators, “which have resulted in the deaths of some of them and around a hundred injured.” According to the latest UN reports, 22 people have died and more than a hundred have been injured.
“Let us pray to the Lord that all forms of violence may always be avoided, and that the ongoing pursuit of social harmony may be encouraged through the promotion of justice and the common good,” the Pope said. Protests over living conditions Inspired by recent “Gen Z” protests in Kenya and Nepal, the demonstrations in Madagascar— the largest the country has ever seen—have emerged from the economic and social frustration felt by millions of Malagasy citizens. Limited basic services, collapsing infrastructure, ongoing blackouts, and high-level government corruption are among the root causes of the unrest cited by the protesters.
Using social media, youth-led groups have mobilized largescale demonstrations, which eventually led President Andry Rajoelinato dissolve the government on 29 September. Other cities also affected According to the United Nations, the victims include not only protesters but also bystanders caught in clashes with security forces, who fired tear gas, as well as others killed in subsequent violence carried out by criminal gangs. However, Madagascar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the reported death toll, claiming the figures are based on “rumors or misinformation.”
Meanwhile, a new national mobilization has been called for Wednesday, with public sector employees urged to join a general strike. A new demonstration has been announced in the Ambohijatovo district of the capital, Antananarivo—a symbolic location in Malagasy political life—where protesters managed to enter on Tuesday. The protests have since spread to other cities, including Diego Suarez in the north of the island.
