Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, warned of an “attempt to seize power illegally” after an elite military unit, Capsat, sided with protesters and announced it was taking control of the army.

The intervention follows weeks of youth-led demonstrations over water and electricity shortages, corruption, and calls for Rajoelina’s resignation.

Capsat, which helped bring Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup, said it would not fire on protesters and urged the rest of the military to join them, while thousands of demonstrators gathered at May 13 Square in Antananarivo.

General Demosthene Pikulas was installed as army chief, stating the military’s role is to restore calm without commenting directly on Rajoelina’s fate, The Guardian has reported.

The protests, led by a leaderless Gen Z movement, have already resulted in dozens of deaths, highlighting deep social and political unrest in one of the world’s poorest nations.