British Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned on June 22, 2026. Elected with a massive majority less than two years earlier, he was forced out by his own MPs. Because the country's economy is stalling, living costs are rising, and an angry population threatens to cost MPs their seats in the next elections.

In London, institutions function like clockwork. When a leader fails, his own party replaces him calmly, without violence, without military intervention, and without constitutional change. The Prime Minister leaves, but the State continues operating normally. Power belongs to the office, not the man.

The Illusion of Total Control

From a political, sociological, and anthropological perspective, this event contains an essential lesson for countries constantly seeking their political identity, like Madagascar. In late 2025, the Great Island was shaken by severe water and electricity outages. This collapse of basic services is not merely a technical problem—it is primarily a political, social, and human one.

When Malagasy authorities can no longer distribute wealth and ensure daily needs, the people withdraw their trust from the leader and the entire system collapses. The British case reminds us, as we have often seen in Madagascar, that a large parliamentary majority does not guarantee stability. If the population suffers daily, this majority—often obtained through alliances or favors—evaporates quickly.

Parliamentary Barriers Against Violence

Various post-independence Malagasy political systems are characterized by the absence of legal exit routes in times of crisis. While in London MPs can overthrow a leader to calm popular anger, here parliamentary institutions are subordinate to the head of state. Trapped in this system, "elected representatives" no longer contest decisions; they accept them without question.

Since laws do not change the course of events, youth of the "TikTok Generation" have only two tools to be heard: their smartphones and the streets. Youthful anger destroys symbols of power and creates a great void. And in Madagascar's political history, this void is always filled, for nature abhors a vacuum.

Building Strong Institutions, Not Strong Men

The belief in a "savior leader" and the reorientation of governance systems based on political calculations must end. True stability is not achieved by preventing people from speaking or protesting—far from it. It is built by creating clear rules that allow crises to be managed properly. Yet despite their recurrence, this ingenuity has always been lacking due to lack of will or refusal to learn from the past.

By Laza Andrianirina, Full Member of the Malagasy Academy