Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has appointed army general Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as the new prime minister in an effort to quell youth-led protests against his rule, which began on September 25.

• The appointment comes days after Rajoelina expressed fears of a coup, and Gen Z Mada, the youth protest movement, rejected the appointment and gave Rajoelina 48 hours to resign.
• The protests, initially sparked by water and power cuts, have escalated into wider dissatisfaction over corruption and high unemployment, with the UN reporting at least 22 people killed and over 100 injured, figures rejected by the government.
• Madagascar, despite its natural resources, remains one of the world's poorest countries, with 75% of its population living below the poverty line and only about one-third of its 30 million people having access to electricity.