The decision comes 10 days after Rajoelina’s impeachment and flight abroad amid youth-led protests and a military takeover. It caps a dual-nationality scandal that surfaced months before the November 2023 elections.

Nationality Revoked by Decree

The order published in the official gazette states that Rajoelina, 51, lost his Malagasy nationality after becoming a French national in 2014. RFI said the prime minister’s entourage confirmed the decree; photographs of the document circulated online. The loss of nationality makes him ineligible for future elections under Malagasy law.

Protests, Impeachment, Power Shift

Rajoelina fled after weeks of nationwide demonstrations over power and water outages, living costs, and corruption. On Oct. 11, an elite CAPSAT unit said it would not suppress the youth-led movement; on Oct. 14, Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president, pledging elections within two years. Rajoelina’s whereabouts remain unknown.

“Blood That Runs In My Veins”

Rajoelina previously defended his French naturalization as facilitating his children’s studies, saying, “this piece of paper does nothing to change the blood that runs in my veins.” The issue erupted months before the November 2023 polls, which opposition parties boycotted; he nonetheless won the contested vote.

Money-Laundering Probe in Mauritius

Separately, businessman Maminiaina (Mamy) Ravatomanga—described as a close associate—was arrested in Mauritius on suspicion of laundering 6.46 billion rupees (about $141.8 million), with an additional 858.5 million rupees in personal funds under scrutiny, the Financial Crimes Commission said. Africanews cited officials who alleged a $163 million laundering scheme; Ravatomanga denies wrongdoing, saying funds were legitimately earned over 30 years.