Antananarivo, Oct 14 (NationPress) Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a military officer from Madagascar, declared on Tuesday that a military council, which includes members from the army, gendarmerie, and national police, has seized state power in Madagascar.

Earlier that same day, the Presidency of Madagascar announced the dissolution of the National Assembly, the lower house of the bicameral Malagasy parliament, following a decree issued by the Presidency.

According to the decree, "The National Assembly is dissolved, in accordance with the provisions of Article 60 of the Constitution."

This announcement of dissolution coincided with the National Assembly's efforts to gather signatures for an extraordinary session aimed at impeaching the head of state, as reported by local media.

Local news outlets quoted Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, the Vice President of the National Assembly, stating that the dissolution decree was "lacking legal validity due to the absence of formal validation."

Protests began in Madagascar in late September, initially sparked by significant power outages and water shortages. These demonstrations have escalated, evolving into calls for government reform and changes in leadership.

On Saturday, the protests took a new direction when an army regiment declared its support for the protesters, vowing to protect them against alleged abuses by security forces.

The Malagasy Presidency stated on Sunday that there was an "attempt to seize power illegally and by force" in Madagascar and urged all vital national forces to "unite to defend constitutional order and national sovereignty."

On Monday, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar mentioned in a video on social media that he had taken refuge in a "safe location" following an assassination attempt.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, expressed serious concern over the rising tensions in Madagascar and called for restraint and dialogue to resolve the ongoing protests.

This call was made during an urgent session of the AU Peace and Security Council, as per a statement released late Monday.

Youssouf reaffirmed the AU's strong rejection of any unconstitutional change of government and urged all Malagasy stakeholders—civil, military, and political—to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue within the constitutional framework.

He stated that the AU is prepared to support a peaceful, inclusive, and African-led solution to the crisis in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community and the Indian Ocean Commission, as reported by Xinhua news agency.