Madagascar’s interim military president, Michael Randrianirina, has ordered that incoming ministers must pass lie detector tests as part of an anti-corruption screening, after he abruptly dismissed the prime minister and cabinet on 9 March.
Randrianirina, who seized power in an October coup following weeks of youth-led demonstrations under the banner “Gen Z Madagascar,” said the polygraphs will be used for background integrity checks as a new cabinet is assembled. Young protesters initially welcomed the change in leadership but quickly grew disillusioned when many ministerial nominees appeared to come from the old political elite.
The interim president named anti-corruption chief Mamitiana Rajaonarison as prime minister-designate and said he and Rajaonarison would only interview ministerial candidates who pass the tests. He said the screenings would help distinguish “who is corrupt and who can help us, who is going to betray the youth struggle,” adding: “We’re not looking for someone who is 100% clean, but over 60%. That way, Madagascar will finally be able to develop.”
The unrest that led to the coup began in September over water and power cuts and escalated into broader demands for a complete overhaul of the political system. The United Nations reported that at least 22 people were killed in the early days of the unrest.
On 11 October, the elite military unit Capsat, in which Randrianirina served as a colonel, sided with the protesters. The following day, President Andry Rajoelina reportedly left the country for Dubai on a French military plane. Randrianirina was sworn in as interim president and has pledged to hold elections by late 2027; Gen Z activists have urged him to confirm that timetable and criticized some of his appointments for alleged ties to the previous regime.
Some Gen Z campaigners have expressed skepticism about the use of polygraphs. A manager of the movement’s social media accounts called the tests “not even scientifically proven to work” and described the idea as “a joke and embarrassing,” while still saying the current regime is an improvement on Rajoelina’s government.
Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest countries. The World Bank reported GDP per capita was $545 in 2024. The island nation is rich in resources such as vanilla and gemstones, which critics contend have been exploited by corrupt officials and business interests. Transparency International placed Madagascar 148th out of 180 countries on its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Agence-France Presse and the Associated Press contributed to this report.