The newly formed political party, The Democrats, held its inaugural congress on Wednesday evening, marking their official entrance into the Maldivian political arena. Led by former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader and Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed, the congress saw the approval of the party’s name, constitution, colours, and logo.

The gathering, held at Ghiyasuddin International School Hall, was attended by more than 500 party members, surpassing the required minimum of 300 members mandated by the Political Parties Act. The atmosphere was one of enthusiasm and anticipation as The Democrats solidified their identity and set the stage for their future endeavours.

In his address, the former president lauded the members of The Democrats as MDP’s “bigger and better half,” highlighting the ideological connection between the two political entities. Although Nasheed has yet to formally join The Democrats, he expressed his affiliation with the party and revealed that approximately 80 percent of its members hailed from the ruling party, MDP. The Democrats also announced the submission of over 3,000 additional membership forms, further underlining the party’s growing support base.

At the meeting, the party members collectively decided on a shade of light sky blue as the official colour to represent The Democrats. The colour choice symbolises a sense of tranquility and hope, aligning with the party’s vision for a prosperous and harmonious Maldives. The party logo, a stylised asterisk, embodies the national coconut palm tree and corals, representing the rich natural heritage of the Maldives.

Hassan Latheef, Member of Parliament for the West-Henveiru constituency, was appointed as the interim Chairperson of The Democrats.

The congress not only attracted the attention of The Democrats’ members but also drew prominent leaders and members from other political parties. Representatives from the Elections Commission were also in attendance.

The formation of The Democrats stems from Nasheed’s loss in the MDP’s presidential primary earlier this year.