Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said an “attempt to seize power illegally and by force” was underway, following a dramatic escalation in anti-government unrest that saw soldiers join mass protests in the capital. “The Presidency of the Republic wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force, contrary to the Constitution and to democratic principles, is currently underway on the national territory,” Rajoelina said in a statement.
