Former President and current Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has tendered his resignation from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), expressing dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs in the nation. Nasheed, a leading figure in the MDP since its inception in 2003, shared his resignation letter on Twitter.
The unexpected development came today, stirring a wave of speculation and surprise within political circles.
MDP Chairman Fayyaz Ismail took to Twitter to express his well wishes to Nasheed and acknowledge the evolving political landscape in the nation.
In a tweet, Chairman Ismail conveyed his appreciation for Nasheed’s dedication to the MDP and the accomplishments achieved under his leadership. Ismail’s message struck a conciliatory tone, highlighting the significance of the moment and the opportunities it presents for all political parties to chart their individual courses.
“On behalf of MDP and myself, I wish President Mohamed Nasheed well and success,” Chairman Ismail tweeted. “Whilst this is a sad day, this also paves the way for all parties to move forward in their chosen paths. Thank you for your dedication to MDP and the success achieved under your leadership.”
Chairman Ismail’s response reflects the respect and gratitude he holds for Nasheed’s contributions to the MDP’s growth and accomplishments. However, his tweet also signifies a recognition of the changing political dynamics, acknowledging that parties will need to adapt and forge ahead with their own strategies and objectives.
Nasheed’s Departure and Formation of New Party
Nasheed’s decision to leave MDP came after losing the party’s presidential primaries earlier this year. Following the setback, Nasheed initiated anti-party activities by rallying support for a faction within the MDP. He even held discussions with the Jumhooree Party (JP) to form a coalition and challenge the incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
However, discussions with the JP reached an impasse when Nasheed proposed to shift the country’s governance system from a presidential system to a parliamentary system. Qasim Ibrahim, the leader of JP, recently stated that Nasheed seemed unwilling to support anyone other than himself to come to power.
The MDP chose not to take immediate action against Nasheed for forming the faction, citing respect for his significant role in establishing the party and ushering in democracy in the Maldives. However, when the Vice-Speaker of Parliament, Eva Abdulla, resigned from the MDP along with Nasheed’s loyalists to form a new political party, the MDP Parliamentary group, which holds the majority in parliament, decided to remove her from her post.
Nasheed opposed this decision and has been accused of deliberately stalling the no-confidence motion against Eva. As a result, the MDP parliamentary group submitted a no-confidence motion against Speaker Nasheed as well. In response, Nasheed recused himself from the speakership and demanded the withdrawal of the no-confidence motion against Eva. This impasse has created a deadlock within the parliament.
The former president’s resignation from the MDP comes at a time when a group of politicians loyal to him is working to form a new political party under the name ‘The Democrats.’ They are currently awaiting approval from the Elections Commission (EC) to convene their initial meeting as a political party, as mandated by law.