The Parliament’s confirmation of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet is facing delays as a result of attempts by government officials to exert undue influence on the process, Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Fayyaz Ismail, has said.
Speaking on Sangu TV, Fayyaz expressed his concerns over the prolonged delay in ministerial confirmation, attributing it to governmental mishandling. “The government made a blunder,” he stated, accusing some government members of offering incentives to MDP members to shape the approval process.
This was in line with earlier comments made by MDP Deputy Chairman Ibrahim Waheed, who accused senior leaders of the ruling PPM-PNC coalition of lobbying against the approval of certain ministers.
The MDP-majority-led parliament has faced criticism over the prolonged delay in confirming the cabinet of the newly formed government. Procedural mishaps and a lack of quorum within committees have delayed the confirmation as parliament went into recess in late December.
This is the first instance in the country’s history that a parliament has been unable to promptly confirm the cabinet of a new government. Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam has indicated that an extraordinary session could be convened during the recess to confirm the cabinet.
Vice President Hussein Mohamed Latheef criticised the delay, describing it as damaging to the parliament’s reputation. Speaking at a campaign rally, he condemned the opposition-controlled parliament for what he termed an ‘ugly act,’ accusing it of disrupting the constitutional system.
“No parliament has ever held the initial cabinet of any government without approval in the past,” he claimed, highlighting the historical significance of the delay.
