President Mohamed Muizzu and Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef are both currently abroad, raising questions about who is overseeing the day-to-day affairs of the government in their absence.
President Muizzu departed for Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. He was accompanied by First Lady Sajida Mohamed and a delegation that includes several Cabinet ministers.
Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla was present at Velana International Airport to see off the President, confirming that he remains in the country.
Meanwhile, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, who had travelled to Tajikistan following an earlier official visit to Hawaii, has yet to return to the country. While his official engagements in Tajikistan have concluded, his return has not been announced.
Typically, the President and Vice President do not travel abroad at the same time. The Vice President is generally expected to remain in Malé when the President is out of the country, as a matter of protocol and continuity in governance.
As of Saturday evening, the government has not issued an official statement indicating who is currently in charge. However, by constitutional line of succession, Speaker Abdul Raheem is considered the highest-ranking official in the country during the absence of both the President and Vice President.
