Madagascar’s military has taken control of the country following the parliament’s vote to impeach President Andry Rajoelina amid weeks of youth-led antigovernment protests.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina announced that the military would govern alongside a transitional committee for up to two years, suspend key institutions, and organize a referendum and elections to establish a new government.

Rajoelina, who fled the country after an elite military unit joined the protests, denounced the takeover as an attempted coup and claimed he remains fully in office.

The antigovernment demonstrations, led by Gen Z groups, began over water and power shortages but expanded to broader grievances over poverty, the cost of living, and corruption, Al-Jazeera has reported.

Crowds in the capital, Antananarivo, reportedly welcomed the military’s announcement, while the police and gendarmerie aligned with the demonstrators.