Security forces stand in the road as protesters gather during a demonstration against repeated water and electricity outages in Antananarivo on September 29, 2025. Rajoelina Monday fired his entire government, apologised for his ministers' inaction and vowed to find a solution to the country's problems. Protesters have demanded that Rajoelina, who first came to power following a coup sparked by an uprising, resigns. Madagascar ranks among the world's poorest countries but is the leading producer of vanilla, one of the most expensive spices after saffron. Nearly 75 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2022, according to the World Bank.