MDP and The Democrats Unite in Parliament to Hold Gov’t Accountable

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Democrats have announced their collaboration in the Parliament, forming a united front to scrutinise the policies of the current administration.

Addressing the media during a press briefing yesterday, MDP’s Chairperson, Fayyaz Ismail, expressed shared concerns between the two parties regarding the government’s policies, particularly in the realms of foreign and economic affairs.

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Fayyaz emphasised the need for a responsible opposition, stating, “It is deeply concerning for us to see Maldives’ policies getting shaped in a manner that could create conflict within this region and endanger regional stability and security, and to see all this getting shaped in such a thoughtless manner.”

Highlighting the relative peace in the Indian Ocean despite global conflicts, Ismail criticized the current administration’s policies for potentially undermining regional stability.

Hassan Saeed, leader of the The Democrats, disclosed their intention to propose legislative changes, including measures to cap the number of parliamentarians and political appointees. The parties have formally submitted a request to convene an extraordinary sitting of the Parliament, scheduled for Tuesday.

The MDP, with 42 MPs, holds the majority in the Parliament currently, while The Democrats, comprising a faction that separated from the MDP last year, contribute 13 MPs.

Together, they command 55 MPs, although the landscape shifted when 13 MDP members defected to the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) in December, with another defection this month. Consequently, the PNC has now surpassed the Democrats as the minority party, boasting 16 MPs.