Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has warned that the Maldives is heading towards a “terrible dictatorship,” citing the government’s efforts to remove heads of independent institutions as part of a broader push to concentrate power.
Addressing supporters at a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) rally held at the Artificial Beach in Malé on Tuesday night, Solih criticised the current Mohamed Muizzu administration’s actions, which he said were leading the country into an era of fear.
“The government’s attempt to remove independent institution heads is a clear scenario of power concentration and preparations for dictatorship,” Solih told the crowd. “Therefore, we are seeing the country plunging into fear today.”
Solih raised concerns about the government’s efforts to influence the upcoming presidential election, stating that it was actively working to skew the results in its favour.
In his speech, Solih accused the government of undermining the decentralisation system by withholding funds from local councils.
“There is no detailed information available on next year’s budget, nor is there any clarity on how this year’s budget has been utilised,” he said. “The government has nothing to show for depleting this year’s budget and pushing a MVR 5 billion supplementary budget through Parliament.”
He further criticised the government for failing to deliver its promises, claiming it was instead harming businesses and impoverishing the people.
“They don’t know how to run. They don’t know how to do things,” Solih added, slamming the Muizzu administration, during the party’s first major public rally since the end of his presidency.
All those who spoke at the rally, which saw a significant turnout, echoed Solih’s concerns, sharing similar criticisms of the current administration’s governance approach and its negative impact on the economy and public welfare.